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THE  EYE  OF  ISTAR 


BOOKS  BY  WILLIAM  LE  QITEUX. 


Stolen  Souls, 

Ube  temptress, 

Ube  (Breat  TKaar  in  BnQlanb  in  1897, 


OVER   THE    STRANGE,    FANTASTIC   OUTLINES    MY    EYES 
TRAVELED." —  Page  iff. 


THE  EYE  OF  ISTAR 

H  TRomance  of 
Xanb  of  tbe  IRo  IReturn 


BY 

WILLIAM  LE  QUEUX 

AUTHOR   OF   "  ZORAIDA,"    "  THE   TEMPTRESS,"    "  STOLEN  SOULS,"  ETC. 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS  BY  ALFRED  PEARSE 


flew 
FREDERICK  A.  STOKES  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


SAY  :  O  unbelievers,  I  will  not  worship  that  which 
ye  worship  ;  nor  will  ye  worship  that  which  I  worship. 
Neither  do  I  worship  that  which  ye  worship  ;  neither 
do  ye  worship  that  which  I  worship.  Ye  have  your 
religion,  and  I  my  religion. — Al  Kordn. 


A II  rightt  rtstrved 


CONTENTS 


CHAP.  PAGE. 

PROLOGUE,  i 

I.— THE  BLAST  OF  THE  ONBEIA,      .          .         7 
II.— SUN  AND  SILENCE,           ...        12 

III.— AZALA,  .  .  .  .  .22 

IV.— THE  MARK  OF  THE  ASPS,          .  .        34 

V. — THE  BLACK  EUNUCH,      ...        40 

VI.— RAGE  AND  REMORSE,       ...        46 

VII.— THE  WHITE  CITY,  ...        56 

VIII. — VEILED  MEN  OF  THE  DESERT,  .  .        63 

IX. — AN  AUDIENCE  OF  THE  KHALIFA,         .        70 

X. — BY  IMPERIAL  REQUEST,  ...        76 

XI.— TIAMO  THE  DWARF,  81 

XII.— MYSTERIES  OF  EBLIS,       ...        93 

XIII.— THE  PRISM  OF  DESTINY  .     ,      .       102 

XIV. — A  SIGN  AFAR,        .  .  .  .no 

XV.— TALES  OF  THE  STORY-TELLERS,  .      115 

XVI.— A  SECRET  OF  STATE,       .          .          .127 

XVII.— FLIGHT,       .          .          .          .          .134 

XVIII.— THE  ALARM,          .  .  .  .141 

XIX.— MOHAMMED  EL-AREWA,   .  .  .149 

XX. — THE  FATHER  OF  THE  BLUE  HAND,      .       154 

XXI.— IN  THE  WILDERNESS,       .  .  .161 

XXII.— Zu,  THE  BIRD-GOD,         .  .  .168 

XXIII.— THE  FOREST  OF  PERPETUAL  NIGHT,    .      172 

XXIV. — A  PAGAN  LAND,    ....       177 

XXV.— AVISIBBA,     .  .  .  .  .183 

XXVI.— THE  IVORY-RAIDERS,       .  .  .190 

XXVII.— NGALYEMA,  .....      200 


2072250 


CONTENTS. 

CHAP.  PAGE. 

XXVIII. — PIGMIES  OF  THE  FOREST,           .  ,.      208 

XXIX. — FACING  MALEC,     .           .           .  .216 

XXX.— A  PROPHECY,         .           .           .  .222 

XXXI.— ON  THE  HORIZON,            .           .  .231 

XXXII.— THE  GREAT  SIN,    .           .           .  .237 

XXXIII. — WHERE  DWELT  THE  DEVOURER,  .      247 

XXXIV. — THE  LAND  OF  THE  No  RETURN,  .      260 

XXXV. — A  VISITANT  FROM  THE  MISTS,  .       275 

XXXVI.— THE  TORTURE-WHEEL,    .           .  .283 

XXXVII.— EA 291 

XXXVIII.— ISTAR, 307 

XXXIX— FORETOKENS,         .           .           .  319 

XL. — THE  FESTIVAL  OF  TAMMUZ,      .  .      329 

XLI.— THE  TEMPLE  OF  LOVE,    .           .  .338 

XLII.— CROOKED  PATHS,  ....      349 

XLIII.— DOOM,          .           .           .           .  -359 

XLIV.— THE  TALISMAN,     .           .           .  .370 

CONCLUSION,         .          .          .  .380 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

BY  ALFRED  PEARSE. 

PACK. 

"  HAND  TO  HAND  WE  STRUGGLED,"  .          .          .69 

"As  SHE  DID  THIS  A  BRIGHT  FLASH,  BLINDING  AS 

LIGHTNING,  SHOT  THROUGH  THE  CHAMBER,"      105 

"OVER  THE  STRANGE,  FANTASTIC   OUTLINES   MY 

EYES  TRAVELLED,  .          .          .          .251 

"  O  QUEEN  OF  EARTH  AND  HEAVEN  !  O  PEERLESS 
AMONG  WOMEN!  THE  DREADED  DAY  HATH 
DAWNED,"  ......  312 

"THE  SCENE  WAS  INDEED  A  STRIKING  ONE,"        .      334 
"WITH  A  CRY  OF  RAGE  SHE  SPRANG  UPON  ME,".      346 


PEACE,  O  READER!  Constant,  blessed  and  abun- 
dant salutations. 

Of  a  verity  the  groves  of  my  hopes  have  been  refreshed  by 
cooling  showers  from  the  clouds  of  Allah's  blessing,  my  rose 
garden  has  been  weeded  of  the  thorns  of  despondency,  and  the 
tree  of  my  prosperity  has  become  fruit-bearing  from  the 
breeze  of  his  bounty.  He  is  the  Giver  of  Gifts,  the  Source 
of  Liberality,  the  Sovereign,  the  dust  of  whose  sandals  is  de- 
servedly the  collyrium  of  the  eyes  of  mortal  men ;  and  I, 
called  by  my  fellows  El-Motardjim,  am  the  servant  who,  in 
compliance  with  the  exalted  command,  have  placed  my  finger 
of  acquiescence  on  the  vision  of  obedience.  During  many 
hopeless  nights  I  waited  for  the  radiation  of  the  sun  of  the 
benefits  of  prosperity,  and  counted  the  stars  till  the  rise  of 
dawn,  but,  by  my  ill-luck  and  the  machinations  of  enemies, 
was  deprived  of  the  felicity  of  penetrating  the  mystery  of  the 
Land  Forbidden. 

At  length,  however,  on  a  happy  day  when  the  fire  of  my 
anguish  burned  so  brightly  that  it  was  not  easy  to  extin- 
guish it  with  the  water  of  patience,  the  Abolisher  of  the  signs 
of  darkness  and  aberration  invested  me  with  the  robe  of  the 
favored,  guarded  me  through  the  calamities  and  vicissi- 
tudes of  fortune  during  long  journeys,  directed  my  footsteps 
through  the  mazes  of  paths  untrodden,  and  revealed  unto  my 
dazzled  eyes  weird  and  wondrous  marvels  stranger  than  men 
have  dreamed. 

Therefore,  O  Reader  !  wipe  the  dust  of  ennui  and  fatigue 
from  the  speculum  of  thy  mind,  withdraw  the  tongue  of 
blame  into  thy  palate,  and  lend  a  willing  ear  to  this  my 
Tarik  ;  for,  verily,  I  have  elucidated  the  secret  of  the  mystic 
Land  of  the  No  Return;  I  have  torn  the  veil  that  hideth 
the  Great  Sin  from  the  eyes  of  men,  and  have  gazed  into  the 
Eye  of  Istar.  "  Imsh  Allah  I " 


THE  EYE  OF  ISTAR, 


PROLOGUE. 

THRICE  hath  the  Fast  of  Ramadan  come  and  gone 
since  the  Granter  of  Requests  last  allowed  my  eyes  to 
behold  the  well-remembered  landscape,  scarcely  visible 
in  the  pale  light  of  dawn.  Hills,  covered  with  tall 
feathery  palms,  rose  abruptly  from  the  barren,  sun- 
scorched  plain,  and,  at  their  foot,  stood  the  daz- 
zlingly-white  city  of  Omdurman,  the  impregnable  and 
mysterious  headquarters  of  Mahdiism,  while  beyond, 
like  a  silver  ribbon  winding  through  the  marshes,  the 
Nile  glided,  half  veiled  by  its  thin  white  cloud  of  morn- 
ing vapors. 

Within  the  walled  and  strongly-guarded  city  was  a 
scene,  strange  and  fantastic.  The  air,  heavy  with  war 
rumors,  was  rent  by  the  deafening  strokes  of  enormous 
brazen  tamtams,  mingling  with  the  loud  shouts  of 
dark-faced  Jalins,  half-naked  negro  fanatics  of  the 
Kunjara  and  the  Dinka,  armed  cap  a  pie,  ready  for  bat- 
tle at  a  moment's  notice.  The  excitement,  which  had 
increased  daily  for  many  months,  had  risen  to  fever 
heat. 

Throughout  the  short,  hot  night,  the  great  nahas — 
those  huge  brass  war  drums  of  the  Khalifa  Abdullah, 
Ruler  of  the  Soudan — had  been  beaten  by  relays  of 
perspiring  negro  slaves,  glittering  with  beads  and 
trinkets,  the  indescribable  monotonous  rhythm  causing 
the  wildly-excited  populace  to  cry,  "  Nakelkum !  "  and 


ZTbe  Bse  of  Itetar. 


"  Naklulkum  !  "  as,  in  the  fresh,  cool  hour,  when  the 
Wolf's  Tail  —  the  first  brushes  of  gray  light  which 
appear  as  forerunners  of  dawn  —  showed  in  the  heavens, 
they  seized  guns,  spears  and  shields,  and  rushing  from 
their  houses  across  the  great  square  of  Abu  Anga  they 
congregated  in  the  wide,  open  space  near  the  Tree  of 
Hadra,  where  the  Raya  Zerga,  or  dreaded  black  stand- 
ard of  the  Khalifa,  hung  ominous  and  motionless  in 
the  morning  air. 

Wild-haired  men  sped  fleetly  to  and  fro,  brandishing 
their  gleaming  arms  and  apostrophizing  Eblis  ;  women 
left  their  millet  unbeaten  and  followed,  while  musicians 
chanted  war  songs  softly  in  a  sad  falsetto,  accompany- 
ing themselves  upon  their  little  ginkris  —  those  queer, 
two  stringed  guitars,  fashioned  from  a  tortoise  shell, 
which  give  forth  a  dismal  sound  like  the  chirping  of  a 
grasshopper  of  the  oasis.  The  servants  of  the  Merci- 
ful are  those  who  walk  meekly  on  the  earth,  and  when 
the  ignorant  speak  to  them,  answer,  "  Peace  "  ;  and 
who  pass  the  night  adoring  Allah,  and  standing  up  to 
pray  unto  him,  and  who  say,  "  O  Allah,  avert  from  us 
the  torment  of  hell,  for  the  torment  thereof  is  perpet- 
ual ;  verily,  the  same  is  a  miserable  abode  "  ;  and  who, 
when  they  bestow,  are  neither  profuse  nor  niggardly, 
but  observe  a  just  medium  between  these,  and  who 
invoke  not  another  god  together  with  the  One  Allah, 
neither  slay  the  soul  which  Allah  hath  forbidden  to  be 
slain,  unless  for  a  just  cause.  The  Dervishes  were 
going  forth  to  battle. 

On  one  side  of  the  spacious  review  ground  frowned 
the  castellated  walls  of  the  imposing  white  fortress, 
held  so  long  by  Faragallah  Pasha  against  the  fierce 
hordes  of  the  Mahdi  ;  on  the  other,  the  ill-built  quar- 
ters of  the  Genadien,  or  regular  soldiers,  while  the  sin- 
gle tree  in  the  centre  was  historical  by  reason  of  the 


prologue.  3 

head  of  Gordon,  the  brave  Pasha  of  the  Infidels,  hav- 
ing been  exhibited  thereon  by  order  of  our  tyrannical 
lord,  the  Madhi.  It  was  at  this  spot  that  the  wild 
multitude  heaped  curses  upon  the  last  grim  relic  of  the 
gallant,  deserted  hero  of  Khartoum,  the  man  whose 
matchless  bravery  and  dogged  perseverance  were  alike 
admired  by  my  own  co-religionists,  as  well  as  by  the 
Infidels  themselves. 

But  the  Mahdi,  Khalifat-er-Rasul — the  great  False 
Prophet,  renowned  throughout  the  world,  who,  by 
inducing  us  to  believe  that,  by  his  supernatural  in- 
fluence, he  could  transform  the  bullets  of  the  white 
men  into  water,  caused  us  to  flock  to  his  standard  and 
attempt  to  conquer  the  Soudan — was  now  dead,  and 
the  power  of  the  Khalifa  Abdullah  supreme.  Seven 
years  ago  had  the  hand  of  Allah's  justice  fallen  heavily 
upon  the  hypocritical  imitator  of  the  Great  Prophet, 
who  asserted  that  he  could  part  the  waters  of  the  Nile, 
that  his  body  was  invulnerable,  and  who  was  so  suc- 
cessful in  his  ingenious  impostures  that  the  people 
threw  themselves  down  frantically  to  kiss  the  spots  his 
crimson  slippers  had  touched,  while  the  water  in  which 
he  performed  his  ablutions  was  drunk  as  an  unfailing 
remedy  for  every  sort  of  malady.  The  very  dust  of 
his  sandals  was  declared  to  be  the  collyrium  of  the  eyes 
of  men.  But  the  struggle  with  the  English,  the  fall  of 
El  Obeid,  the  capture  of  Galabat,  and  the  defeat  and 
death  of  the  King  of  Abyssinia  were  events  now  long 
past  and  forgotten. 

In  this  record  of  fact,  adventure  and  strange  marvels, 
I,  Zafar-Ben-A'Ziz,  called  by  some,  El-Motardjim  ("  the 
translator "),  on  account  of  my  knowledge  of  many 
tongues,  am  compelled  to  speak  of  myself.  I  am  not 
a  Soudanese,  but  an  Arab,  son  of  the  Hadj  Yakub 
Sarraf,  Kaid  of  the  Aures.  I  passed  my  childhood  at 


Ube  EEC  of  Ustar. 


my  birthplace,  El-Manaa,  two  days'  journey  from  Batna. 
Then  my  father,  having  trading  relations  with  an  Arab 
merchant  living  in  London,  the  giant  city  of  the  Eng- 
lish, I  was  sent  there  for  two  years  to  learn  the  tongue. 
But  I  cared  not  for  the  English,  nor  the  ways  of  life  in 
a  city  where  the  women  go  abroad  unveiled  and  laugh 
in  the  faces  of  the  men,  where  speech  is  carried  along 
wires,  where  light  is  shed  by  two  wires  in  contact  and 
where  carriages  are  propelled  along  the  roads  without 
horses.  Of  a  verity,  the  London  of  the  English  is  a 
city  full  of  marvels,  infidel  customs,  amazing  sights, 
and  the  accursed  inventions  of  Eblis  himself.  To  the 
English  the  One  Accursed  has  imparted  the  secret  of 
his  wiles  and  miracles,  whereby  they  are  the  powerful 
people  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  After  two  years  rub- 
bing shoulders  with  the  white  men  who  believed  not  in 
the  Prophet,  but  worshipped  a  cross  as  emblem  of  their 
deity,  I  grew  weary,  for,  during  the  whole  time,  mine 
eyes  were  never  refreshed  by  seeing  the  interior  of  a 
mosque,  although  once  or  twice  I  entered  their  churches 
without  removing  my  shoes,  as  is  their  custom. 

During  my  absence  in  the  land  of  the  Infidels  my 
mother  died,  and  six  moons  after  my  return  my  father 
was  taken  into  Certainty.  Then  life  among  my  people, 
the  Chawi  —  the  beauty  of  whose  women  is  world  fa- 
mous —  had  but  little  charm  for  me,  born  Bedouin  that  I 
am.  I  longed  for  the  journeys  afar  by  camel,  the  free 
life,  the  burning  sun  and  the  limitless  horizon.  I  felt 
the  need  of  the  devouring  heat.  I  sighed  for  the 
desert  and  the  endless  sands,  and  all  my  youthful 
dreams  were  radiant  with  rosy  anticipations.  There- 
fore, after  a  few  months  of  idleness,  I  resolved  to  quit 
my  studies  and  travel  south  across  the  Great  Desert. 
At  sunrise,  one  day,  I  left  behind  my  native  mountains, 
and,  with  a  camel  caravan,  journeyed  to  Mourzouk. 


prologue.  5 

Thence  I  travelled  with  various  caravans  to  El  Fasher, 
Dem  Zibehr,  Lado,  and  other  places  in  the  Soudan,  on 
many  occasions  finding  myself  in  Khartoum,  where 
several  times  I  saw  the  grave-faced  Gordon,  the  heroic 
White  Pasha,  who  was  afterwards  so  treacherously 
murdered.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  I  had  succeeded 
in  establishing  a  small  caravan  of  my  own  to  journey 
between  Khartoum  and  Suakin,  but  suddenly  the  Mahdi 
rose  against  the  Christians,  and  all  trade  was  stopped. 
Unfortunately,  being  an  Arab  from  Algeria,  I  was  an 
alien,  therefore  my  camels  were  at  once  seized,  and, 
against  my  will,  I  was  pressed  into  military  service, 
forced  to  take  the  bea'a,  and  bear  my  part  in  the  holy 
war  under  the  dreaded  standard  of  the  Madhi.  At 
Tamai  and  Abu  Klea  I  fought  the  English  invaders, 
afterwards  carrying  arms  in  Dongola,  Berber,  Galabat, 
Karkoj  and  Kordofan,  where  I  fought  Infidels,  slave- 
raiders  and  rebellious  tribes,  witnessing  many  fierce 
combats  and  scenes  of  massacre  too  horrible  to  de- 
scribe. "  Allah  encompasseth  the  Infidels,"  says  our 
Koran.  "  The  lightning  wanteth  but  little  of  taking 
away  their  sight  ;  so  often  as  it  enlighteneth  them 
they  walk  therein,  but  when  darkness  cometh  on  them 
they  stand  still."  I  loved  the  brilliant  nights  and  the 
ruddy  splendor  of  the  moonbeams  reflected  on  the 
sands ;  even  the  sinister  howls  of  the  jackals  on  the 
plains  of  Kababich  had  become  a  familiar  sound  and 
no  longer  disturbed  me. 

Such,  briefly,  is  the  story  how,  from  a  student  at  the 
French  Lycee  at  Algiers,  and  a  clerk  in  a  London  mer- 
chant's office,  I  developed  into  a  Dervish. 

Now,  however,  as  one  of  the  renowned  Ansar-ed-Din 
of  the  False  Prophet's  successor,  I,  with  face  seared 
by  sun-scalds,  sat  my  milk-white  horse  in  the  square  of 
Abu  Anga,  ready  to  take  part  in  the  monster  parade, 


Gbe  jE^e  of  Istar. 


prior  to  setting  forth  upon  an  expedition  across  the 
Great  Desert,  westward  to  Kano,  the  great  capital  of 
the  powerful  Sultan  of  Sokoto,  which  all  knew  would 
be  fraught  with  many  perils. 

But  it  was  the  Khalifa's  will  ;  none  dare  demur. 

In  the  Koran,  our  perspicuous  Book  of  Everlasting 
Will,  it  is  written  that  "  Allah,  the  One  Worthy  of 
Praise,  alone  knoweth  the  heart  of  man,"  therefore  he 
is  aware  that  the  profane  chicanery  of  the  Mahdi  had 
impressed  me  not,  neither  did  I  admire  the  fanatical 
teaching  of  the  Khalifa's  speeches  and  sermons.  But 
to  speak  in  Omdurman  against  Mahdiism,  or  the 
Khalifa,  meant  death,  therefore  silence  and  obedience 
were  best.  Indeed,  life  was  at  all  times  uncertain  in 
the  Dervish  capital.  The  Khalifa  was  intensely  vain 
and  proud,  professing  the  religion  of  Al-Islam,  but 
leading  an  idle,  dissolute  life,  shut  up  in  his  great  white 
Palace,  surrounded  by  all  the  pomp  and  splendor  of  a 
Soudanese  Sultan.  Cruel,  quick-tempered  and  distrust- 
ful, he  was  fearful  and  jealous  of  his  authority,  and  the 
smallest  infringement  of  it  was  looked  upon  as  a 
heinous  offence,  to  be  punished  accordingly.  By  an 
elaborate  system,  he  was  surrounded  by  villainous, 
despicable  spies,  who  all  pandered  to  his  jealous  and 
tyrannical  nature.  These  spies  were  everywhere,  and 
besides  obtaining  admission  to  private  houses  in  order 
to  ascertain  if  the  inmates  were  loyal,  their  duty  was 
also  to  seek  out  the  most  attractive  girls  to  grace  their 
master's  extensive  harem.  Wherever  a  pretty  woman 
was  found  throughout  his  dominions  he  at  once  re- 
ceived information  about  her,  and  in  a  very  short  time 
she  was  conveyed  to  the  palace  of  Omdurman,  where 
the  hundred  fountains  were  refreshing,  the  marble 
courts  were  cool,  and  the  Garden  of  Enchantment  was 
red  with  flowers  and  green  with  many  leaves. 


Cbc  36last  of  tbe  Cmbeia.  7 

CHAPTER  I. 

THE    BLAST    OF   THE    ONBEIA. 

WE  were  leaving  Omdurman,  on  an  expedition  to  the 
far  west,  beyond  the  high  misty  mountains  of  Marran 
and  the  great  glaring  Saharan  plains.  Our  forces, 
consisting  of  over  fifteen  thousand  armed  warriors, 
were  assembling  to  parade  and  receive  our  Ruler's 
blessing  ere  we  departed. 

Red  and  fiery  the  sun  rose,  the  houses  shone  milk- 
white  against  the  intense  blue  of  the  sky,  the  monoto- 
nous thumping  of  the  nahas  continued,  the  yelling  of 
the  fanatical  multitude  increased,  and  the  black  silken 
standard,  planted  in  the  centre  of  the  parade-ground, 
stirred  by  a  breath  of  hot  wind,  suddenly  spread  itself 
out  lazily,  revealing  its  inscription  in  sprawly  Arabic 
characters  of  bright  yellow.  The  excited  populace, 
the  black-faced  warriors  of  the  Tumali,  the  Tegele  and 
the  Fajelu,  regarding  this  as  a  good  omen,  shouted 
themselves  hoarse  in  cursing  our  enemies,  but  a  few 
seconds  later  the  sound  of  loud  trumpets  echoed  across 
the  square,  and  a  silence,  sudden  and  complete,  fell 
upon  the  multitude.  Drawn  up  in  long  lines,  we  were 
facing  in  the  direction  of  the  Holy  City,  ranging  our- 
selves in  order,  attending  the  commands  of  Allah  and 
the  Khalifa  and  celebrating  the  divine  praise.  From 
where  I  sat  I  had  full  view  of  the  great  arched  gate  of 
the  Palace,  which  next  second  was  thrown  open  as  the 
Khalifa  himself,  stout,  dark-bearded,  and  hawk-eyed, 
rode  forth,  accompanied  by  his  officers  and  bodyguard. 
Mounted  on  a  fine  camel,  and  wearing  a  suit  of  golden 
mail  armor  and  a  helmet  with  spotless  plume,  he  was 
surrounded  by  about  two  hundred  horsemen  also  clad 


ttbe  JEse  of  Hatar. 


in  mail,  with  thick,  red  turbans  around  their  helmets, 
their  horses  all  wearing  brass  head  armor  to  protect 
them  from  sword  cuts.  Four  onbeia  blowers  walked  in 
front,  and,  in  turns,  sounded  the  great  elephant's  tusk, 
while,  headed  by  the  dreaded  sable  standard  and  mov- 
ing very  slowly,  came  the  Khalifa,  stern,  stately,  statu- 
esque, with  drawn  sword.  Behind,  followed  the  gaud- 
ily-attired mulazimin,  or  body-servants,  riding,  while 
his  black  guards,  veritable  giants  in  stature,  formed  a 
compact  square  around  him. 

The  spectacle  was  brilliant  and  imposing.  In  the 
bright  morning  sunshine  the  spears  and  armor  of  the 
cavalcade  flashed  and  glittered,  and,  as  the  Khalifa 
drew  up  his  camel  within  a  few  yards  of  me,  his  keen 
black  eyes  wandered  around  us,  as  if  in  search  of 
absentees.  Thrice  the  deafening  plaudits  of  the  mul- 
titude rent  the  air  ;  thrice  he  bowed  an  acknowledg- 
ment with  regal  gesture.  With  one  voice  the  people 
cried,  "Alhamdolillah  !  "  —  the  pious  expression  which 
leaves  the  lips  of  True  Believers  on  all  occasions  of 
concluding  actions  —  the  review  began,  and  the  wild 
enthusiasm  and  confusion  knew  no  bounds.  Reming- 
ton rifles  with  ammunition  were  distributed  to  us,  in 
addition  to  the  customary  three  spears  and  sword,  and, 
amid  the  endless  shouting  and  recitation  of  suras  from 
the  Koran,  with  bows  and  protestations  we  dashed  at 
a  wild  gallop  hither  and  thither  past  the  powerful 
Ruler  of  the  Soudan,  raising  clouds  of  white  dust.  At 
length,  in  obedience  to  -a  long,  loud  blast  from  the 
onbeia,  we  halted,  and  the  Khalifa—  whose  custom  it 
was  to  attend  the  mosque  five  times  a  day  and  to  en- 
force the  presence  of  all  his  principal  emirs—  com- 
menced the  second  portion  of  the  parade.  The  review, 
or  arda,  as  it  was  called,  was  a  religious  ceremony,  and 
those  who  took  part  in  it  were  supposed  to  obtain 
special  advantages  and  blessings. 


Cbe  JBlast  of  tbe  ©nbefa.  9 

Gazing  slowly  around  him,  with  an  expression  of 
restlessness  and  revenge  clearly  portrayed  upon  his 
gross,  bloated  features,  he  waved  his  fat  hand,  with 
imperious  gesture,  exclaiming  in  a  loud,  firm  voice, — 

"  Harken  unto  me,  O  my  people  !  The  believer  doth 
not  escape  from  the  chastisement  of  Allah — whose 
glory  be  glorified, — until  he  leaveth  four  things — ly- 
ing, pride,  niggardliness  and  evil-thinking.  Paradise 
desireth  four  kinds  of  men  :  the  first  of  them  are  they 
who  feed  the  hungry  ;  the  second,  they  who  lend  succor 
unto  the  naked  ;  the  third,  they  who  fast  in  Ramadan  ; 
and  the  fourth,  they  who  read  the  Koran.  Fear  ye 
Allah  in  secret,  O  my  people  !" 

Every  head  bent  low  in  obedient  submission,  every 
voice  cried  with  one  accord,  "  May  the  peace  of  Allah 
cover  thee  like  a  cloak,  O  august  Ruler  !  O  Pearl  of 
the  conch  of  Prophecy  !  " 

"  Our  kingdom  is  made  flourishing  through  justice,  is 
protected  by  courage,  and  ruled  by  good  government," 
he  continued.  "  Good  government  is  that  the  gate  of 
the  Chief  be  guarded  in  the  proper  time  of  being 
guarded,  and  opened  in  the  proper  time  of  being  open, 
and  the  gate-keeper  friendly.  Verily,  the  One  Merci- 
ful hath  servants  whom  he  distinguisheth  with  his 
favors,  and  whom  he  rewardeth  for  fighting  for  the 
Faith  with  great  rewards.  To  go  forth  into  battle 
against  the  Sultan  of  Sokoto  is  necessary  for  the  well 
being  of  our  State,  and  of  our  people  ;  therefore,  O 
men-at-arms,  gird  your  loins  and  sharpen  your  spears, 
so  that  ye  may  enter  the  great  city  of  Kano,  vanquish 
your  enemies,  trample  their  country  underfoot,  deliver 
it  over  to  fire  and  sword,  and  return  hither  to  your 
ease  within  yonder  walls  of  this,  your  dwelling-place. 
In  the  darkness  of  night,  as  in  the  sunshine  of  noon, 
ye  carry  with  ye  upon  thy  wanderings  the  ever-anx- 


io  Gbe  Bge  of  fstar. 

ious  thoughts  of  your  Khalifa,  Into  whose  keeping 
the  welfare  of  our  kingdom  was  entrusted  by  the  holy 
Mahdi  whom  Allah,  who  liveth  in  Heaven,  hath  been 
pleased  to  remove  from  amongst  us." 

"  His  name  be  exalted  and  praised  !  "  roared  the 
excited,  dark-faced  multitude.  "  May  it  endure  as  long 
as  time  lasts  ! " 

"  True,  O  my  people,"  continued  the  autocrat,  with 
well-feigned  reverence.  "  May  our  great  Chief,  El- 
Mahdi,  drink  of  the  stream  Al-Cawthar,  whiter  than 
milk  or  silver,  and  more  odoriferous  than  musk,  with  as 
many  cups  set  around  it  as  there  are  stars  in  the  firma- 
ment, of  which  water  whosoever  drinketh  will  thirst 
no  more  for  ever.  May  he  wander  through  the  groves 
of  Jannat-al-Ferdaws  with  the  glorious  Hur-al-oyun, 
whose  dark  eyes  are  a  pleasure  to  beholders,  and  whose 
pavilions  are  as  hollow  pearls." 

Then,  after  the  people  had  given  vent  to  loud  ac- 
clamations, he  repeated,  in  a  loud  voice,  two  long 
prayers  from  the  Koran,  followed  by  the  khutba  for 
days  of  the  Jihad,  "  Praise  be  to  Allah,  the  One  Merci- 
ful, who  is  the  best  of  helpers  j  for  we  say,  verily,  help 
us  against  the  Infidel  people.  He  who  is  dissatisfied 
with  the  licentious,  we  ask  Him,  '  Do  help  us  against 
the  Infidel  people.'  Glory  to  Him  who  scattereth  the 
strength  of  the  unbelievers  ;  so  we  say,  verily,  '  Do 
help  us.'  He  who  surroundeth  with  His  aid  His  grate- 
ful worshippers,  help  us.  He  whom  Allah  sent  to  give 
vigor  unto  the  lukewarm,  help  us.  Know  ye  that 
Allah,  whose  name  be  exalted,  has  written  upon  you 
the  Jihad  against  the  wicked.  Therefore,  exert  your- 
selves and  say,  '  Help  us  against  the  Infidels,  and 
may  their  place  be  in  Al-Hawiyat.'  And  be  ye 
patient  in  the  fatigues  of  the  expedition  ;  for,  verily, 
His  help  maketh  bold  those  who  watch.  Then  say  ye, 


Gbe  33last  of  tbe  Onbcia.  n 

'  Help  us  against  the  Infidels.  Thou  art  our  Allah. 
Then  help  us  against  the  people  of  the  Infidels.' " 

This  concluded,  he  delivered  a  further  invocation  for 
the  victory  of  the  religion  of  Al-Islam,  long  life  for 
himself,  and  the  continual  success  of  his  arms,  follow- 
ing it  up  with  a  prayer,  calling  down  the  vengeance  of 
Allah  on  all  unbelievers  and  those  who  had  erred  from 
the  paths  of  Mahdiism,  especially  the  enemies  we  were 
about  to  attack,  and  asking  that  their  wives  and  chil- 
dren might  be  given  as  booty  unto  us.  At  the  end  of 
the  prayers  he  repeated  the  Fatiha,  the  whole  gigantic 
assembly  joining  in  the  declaration  of  the  Unity,  loud, 
fervent,  impressive. 

Every  head  again  bowed  for  a  second,  then  wild 
yelling,  shrill  battle-cries  and  deafening  war  gongs 
sounded,  mad,  enthusiastic  confusion  becoming  general 
everywhere  as  the  Khalifa  Abdullah  and  his  black  body- 
guard slowly  moved  back  along  the  Nile  bank  towards 
the  great  white  Palace,  the  ponderous  iron-studded 
gates  of  which  opened  wide  to  receive  them.  Men 
and  women,  giving  vent  to  cries  of  "  Sidi !  Khalifat  el 
Mahdi!  "  and  "  Ya  Sidi  ana  mazlum  !  "  threw  themselves 
upon  their  faces,  craving  his  blessing  as  he  passed,  and 
some  of  the  more  fanatical  struggled  and  fought  with 
his  bodyguard  of  ebon-faced  Taisha  in  a  vain  en- 
deavor to  touch  the  hem  of  the  garment  of  the  Great 
Ruler  inspired  by  Allah. 

Thus,  while  the  shouting  multitude  followed  our 
Master,  we  dismounted,  ate  the  handful  of  dhurra  al- 
lotted to  each  of  us,  and  took  leave  of  our  women  and 
relations  prior  to  setting  forth  on  the  first  stage  of  an 
expedition  to  Kano,  the  City  of  the  Mirage,  which 
most  probably  would  occupy  us  many  months,  and 
from  which  many  of  us  would  certainly  never  return. 


Bge  of  flstar. 


CHAPTER  II. 

SUN   AND   SILENCE. 

HEADED  by  the  great  Raya  Zerga,  held  in  awe 
throughout  the  Soudan  from  Assouan  even  unto  Lado, 
we  of  the  Jihadieh,  two  hours  later,  under  the  heat  of 
the  brilliant  sun,  rode  forth  from  the  city  gate,  amid 
the  vociferous  shouting  of  the  women,  the  frantic  beat- 
ing of  war  drums,  the  ear-piercing  blast  of  great  onbeias 
and  the  encouraging  yells  of  old  men  and  children. 
Then,  with  a  parting  war-cry,  our  gleaming  swords 
flourishing  in  air,  we  left  the  cupolas  and  minarets  of 
Omdurman  behind,  and  spurred  forward  in  huge  com- 
pact bodies  towards  the  low,  distant  hills,  half  hidden 
in  their  mystic  haze,  but  supposed  to  be  the  abode  of 
the  Jinns,  or  genii,  which  our  dead  lord,  the  Mahdi, 
declared  always  fought  in  thousands  on  our  side. 
Some  of  my  comrades-in-arms  declared  that  they  had 
had  visions  of  these  strange  creatures,  but  I  confess  I 
have  never  seen  one,  and  am  inclined  to  agree  with 
what  one  of  the  White  Fathers  once  told  us  in  El 
Obeid,  that  their  existence  is  purely  imaginary.  But 
perhaps  I  am  a  sceptic.  Indeed,  my  white  skin  be- 
trayed my  Arab  parentage,  and,  because  of  it,  I  had 
long  ago  been  nicknamed  by  my  dark-visaged  com- 
rades, "The  Unbeliever."  Not  because  I  had  ever  ex- 
pressed doubt  as  to  the  truth  of  the  Mahdist  teaching, 
but  my  pale  face  was  alone  responsible  for  the  epithet 
which  had,  in  fun,  been  bestowed  upon  me. 

My  personal  appearance,  as  a  horseman  of  the  great 
Khalifa,  was,  perhaps,  not  such  as  would  commend  it- 
self to  the  Roumis,  the  enemies  of  Allah  and  His 
Prophet.  My  Jibbeh,  or  Dervish  uniform  coat,  was 


Sun  ant>  Silence.  13 

dirty  and  patched  with  multi-colored  strips  of  cotton  ; 
on  my  head  was  the  white  skull-cap,  called  the  takia, 
bound  by  a  broad  white  turban  ;  while  I  wore  a  pair  of 
loose  cotton  unmentionables  with  a  red  girdle,  and  my 
bare  feet  were  thrust  into  rough  slippers  of  undressed 
cowhide.  My  weapons  consisted  of  a  circular  shield 
which  bore  the  deep  dints  of  past  combats,  two  small 
spears,  one  long  one,  a  rifle,  and  a  heavy  sword  with 
cross  hilt  strapped 'up  under  my  left  arm. 

Light-hearted,  laughing  among  ourselves,  and  eager 
for  the  fray,  we  crossed  the  hills,  but  saw  nothing  of 
the  mysterious  Jinns  ;  then,  continuing  our  ride  into 
the  stony,  waterless  desert  of  Bayuda,  that  immense 
country  forgotten  of  Allah,  we  halted  at  sundown  for 
the  maghrib,  and  journeyed  forward  yet  another  three 
hours  before  encamping.  The  expedition  was  under 
the  leadership  of  Ali  Wad  Helu,  chief  of  the  Baggara 
Arabs,  upon  whose  crimson  flag,  borne  before  him,  was 
inscribed  in  gold  in  the  Arabic  character,  '  Nekhrib  ed 
Dunia  wa  nammir  el  Akher,  (We  shall  destroy  this, 
and  create  the  next  world).  This  was  his  motto.  A 
fierce  and  fanatical  warrior,  he  had  acted  a  conspicu- 
ous and  unenviable  part  in  that  terrible  storm  of  1885 
which  deluged  the  Soudan  with  blood,  and  now  thought 
not  of  sparing  the  lives  of  his  men,  but  urged  that,  by 
dying  by  the  sword,  we  should  go  direct  to  the  Jannat- 
al-Ferdaws,  where  the  great  lote-tree  throws  a  cool 
shade,  and  where  the  houris  have  lips  of  musk  and 
eyes  bright  and  sparkling  as  stars  of  night. 

Resting  during  the  day,  on  account  of  the  furnace- 
heat  of  sunshine,  and  travelling  during  the  clear,  star- 
lit nights  over  the  sands  with  our  black  standard  ever 
waving  at  our  head,  the  hosts  of  the  Khalifa  swept 
onward  through  the  land  of  sun  and  silence,  like  a  great 
swarm  of  locusts,  bent  upon  ruthless  pillage  and  de- 


i4  Gbe  Bge  of  Istar. 

struction.  Day  by  day,  week  by  week,  we  travelled  over 
the  immense  plain,  always  in  the  crimson  track  of  the 
dying  day.  Everywhere  spread  vast  solitudes,  an  inter- 
minable country  of  desolation  and  sad  monotony,  with- 
out a  plant  or  a  vestige  of  life — only  shifting,  brown 
sand-hills,  boundless  horizons  and  a  blinding  glare  of 
sun.  Through  Foja  and  El  Fasher  we  passed,  then  over 
the  great,  bare  mountains  to  Kol-Kol.  Three  journeys 
from  that  place,  however,  Ali  Wad  Helu,  fearing  attack 
by  hostile  tribes,  sent  forward  fifty  spearmen — of  whom 
I  was  one — to  act  as  scouts.  The  orders  we  received 
we  obeyed  promptly,  and,  heedless  of  heat  and  sand 
storms,  we  travelled  rapidly  onward  to  Abu  Guerra, 
across  infinite,  mysterious  solitudes,  where  the  blazing 
heat  and  the  loose  sand  retarded  our  advance,  until, 
at  last,  we  reached  El-Asagga,  on  the  shore  of  Lake 
Tsad,  exactly  one  moon  after  our  departure  from  Om- 
durman. 

Inured  as  the  cavalry  of  the  Khalifa  were  to  the 
burning  breath  and  silent  gloom  of  the  desert,  the 
privations  of  the  march  and  the  fatigue  of  long  travel, 
we  found  in  this  journey  that  our  horses  were  utterly 
unfit  to  negotiate  the  stony  wilderness  that  lay  be- 
tween ourselves  and  Kano,  known  to  the  desert  wan- 
derers as  the  City  of  the  Mirage  by  reason  of  the 
amazing  mirages  seen  in  the  vicinity  almost  daily  ; 
therefore,  on  arrival  at  the  Well  of  Sabo-n-Gari,  four 
days'  journey  south  from  the  Lake,  and  two  days'  be- 
yond the  boundary  of  the  territory  of  the  Sultan  of 
Sokoto,  we  resolved  to  encamp  under  the  palms  and 
await  our  main  body  in  order  to  utilize  the  spare  cam- 
els which  they  had  brought  with  them  in  case  of  need. 
To  attempt  to  approach  nearer  to  the  city  we  intended 
to  attack  would,  we  knew,  result  in  speedy  death. 

The  last  fires  had  faded  from  the  west ;   moonless 


Sun  and  Silence.  15 

night  had  fallen.  The  poison-wind  blew  in  sharp  hot 
gusts,  the  heat  from  the  sand  was  reflected  into  one's 
face,  black  clouds  hung  low  and  ominous,  and  the  at- 
mosphere, laden  with  particles  of  grit,  was  stifling. 
We  prayed  our  isha,  ate  our  dhurra,  and  leaving  three 
of  our  comrades  on  the  alert,  in  case  of  surprise, 
stretched  ourselves  in  our  tents  and  endeavored  to 
snatch  a  brief  repose.  The  neighborhood  of  the  well 
was  not  a  safe  place  after  sundown,  for  wild  beasts 
came  there  for  water,  and  we  had  seen  the  marks  of 
lions  on  the  sands.  Wearied,  my  eyes  at  length  closed 
in  sleep,  and  I  was  dreaming  of  cool,  idle  hours  at  my 
mountain  home  in  the  far-off  Aures,  and  of  bygone 
days  amid  the  civilization  of  London,  when  suddenly  I 
was  startled  by  the  quick  rattle  of  musketry,  followed 
by  fiendish  yells,  while,  at  the  same  moment,  there  was 
a  flash  of  powder  as  a  bullet  tore  its  way  through  the 
canvas  of  my  little  tent,  whistling  unpleasantly  near 
my  head.  Seizing  my  rifle,  I  sprang  up,  and,  with  my 
comrades  who  had  been  sleeping  by  my  side,  rushed 
forth. 

Next  second  I  knew  the  truth.  The  place  was  alive 
with  horsemen,  led  by  a  minor  sheikh  mounted  upon  a 
splendid  gray.  We  had  fallen  into  the  trap  against 
which  our  spies  had  repeatedly  warned  us,  and  were 
evidently  being  attacked  from  every  side  by  the  Tua- 
regs.  In  the  Great  Desert  there  are  two  terrors  ever 
present — the  sand  and  the  Tuaregs.  The  latter  are 
the  forbidding-looking  pirates  of  the  desert,  held  in 
awe  from  El  Fasher  to  Timbuktu.  It  is  said  that  ages 
ago  they  were  compelled  to  migrate  south  from  the 
fertile  Atlas  into  the  Great  Desert,  and  owing  to  their 
eyes  being  unaccustomed  to  the  terrible  glare,  nor 
their  lungs  to  the  sand  storms,  they  adopted  a  head 
dress  with  two  veils.  One,  the  nicab,  is  rolled  round 


16  £be  EEC  of  flstar. 


the  temples,  hanging  down  in  front  to  protect  the 
eyes  ;  the  other,  the  litham,  reaches  from  the  nostrils 
to  the  edge  of  the  clothing,  completely  covering  the 
lower  part  of  the  face.  Hence  they  are  known  to-day, 
everywhere  in  the  Soudan,  as  the  "  Veiled  Men  of  the 
Desert,"  while  upon  all  those  who  do  not  adopt  their 
mysterious-looking  costume  they  bestow  the  sobriquet, 
"  mouths  for  flies."  The  veils  are  never  removed,  even 
at  meal  times,  and  the  garb  has  become  so  much  a 
part  of  them  that  any  one,  being  deprived  of  it,  is  un- 
recognizable to  his  friends  and  relatives.  If  one  of 
their  number  is  killed  in  battle  and  divested  of  his 
veil,  no  one  can  identify  him  until  it  has  been  restored 
to  its  place.  And  this,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the 
bridge  of  the  nose  and  the  eyes  alone  are  visible. 
Their  power  is  felt  in  nearly  every  part  of  the  Great 
Desert,  and  to  such  an  extent  have  they  carried  their 
depredations  that  until  quite  recently  almost  every 
town  was  compelled  to  pay  them  tribute.  These 
nomads  are  thieves  of  the  worst  character,  travellers 
and  merchants  being  their  principal  victims.  Their 
vague  form  of  Islamism  they  have  reduced  to  a  belief 
in  talismans,  and  their  chest  and  back  are  covered  with 
bags  of  black  and  yellow,  like  a  cuirass.  Ruse  is  their 
principal  weapon,  even  though  they  never  show  them- 
selves without  spear  or  gun,  a  sword  at  their  side  and 
a  poniard  attached  to  the  left  arm.  We,  of  the 
Khalifa's  army,  had  bestowed  upon  them  three  epithets 
which  epitomize  their  psychology  —  "  Thieves,  Hyenas, 
and  the  Abandoned  of  Allah." 

There  had  been  a  deadly  feud  of  long  standing  be- 
tween us,  and  they,  learning  that  a  small  party  of 
Dervishes  was  in  the  vicinity,  had  apparently  come 
forth  to  check  our  advance.  But  the  horsemen  of  the 
Khalifa  Abdullah,  Sultan  of  the  Soudan,  know  not  fear, 


Sun  anfc  Silence.  17 

as  their  valiant  actions  at  Abu  Klea,  Berber,  El  Obeid 
and  Toski  had  already  proved,  and  now,  even  though 
we  saw  ourselves  surrounded  by  hundreds  of  yelling 
"  Veiled  Men,"  who  poured  into  us  a  withering  fire  from 
their  long-barrelled  guns,  not  a  man  among  us  was  dis- 
mayed although  many  bit  the  dust  ere  reaching  cover. 
That  it  must  be  a  struggle  to  the  death  we  knew, 
therefore,  unable  to  mount,  we  obtained  what  protec- 
tion we  could  among  the  few  palm-trunks,  and  replied 
to  the  hail  of  bullets  with  careful  precision,  picking  off 
a  white-robed  figure  whenever  one  showed  itself.  Be- 
hind every  rock  or  tree  large  enough  to  shelter  a  hu- 
man form  a  veiled  man  lurked,  and,  well-practised  in 
the  use  of  fire-arms,  they  proved  themselves  superior 
shots.  As  far  as  we  could  discern  in  the  gloom  they 
outnumbered  us  by  about  ten  to  one,  and  their  weapons, 
aimed  deliberately  at  us  from  the  security  of  the  ambus- 
cade, had  already  taken  deadly  effect.  On  every  side 
white  robes  fluttered  as  rifles  shed  their  weird  red 
light,  and  ere  long  many  of  our  men,  stumbling  forward, 
sank  upon  the  sand  and  died  with  fierce  curses  upon  their 
lips.  Unable  to  approach  our  opponents  sufficiently 
near  to  effectively  use  our  long  spears  we  continued 
our  erratic  fire,  determined  to  make  a  stubborn  stand 
until  the  end.  During  a  quarter-of-an-hour  this  con- 
tinued, when  suddenly  wild  piercing  yells  sounded 
above  the  incessant  rattle  of  musketry  as,  with  one 
accord,  about  two  hundred  Tuaregs,  their  villainous 
faces  encircled  by  their  black  veils,  and  standing  in 
their  stirrups,  swept  down  upon  us  with  a  ringing 
shout  of  triumph.  In  a  moment  a  fierce  hand-to-hand 
struggle  ensued,  for  horses  and  riders  plunged  upon 
our  spears,  and  dozens  of  the  desert  pirates  fell  im- 
paled, their  burnouses  dyed  with  blood.  One  man,  tall 
and  sinewy,  his  breast  loaded  with  talismans,  riding 


i8  abe  jeee  of  Istar. 


a  magnificently-caparisoned  horse,  and  evidently  a 
sheikh,  I  held  in  the  grip  of  death,  and  he  fell  by  my 
hand.  Indeed,  so  strenuous  was  our  defence  that,  on 
glancing  round,  I  felt  half  inclined  to  believe  that  the 
fierce  onslaught  would  not  be  repeated  ;  yet,  almost 
before  this  thought  had  crossed  my  mind,  another  shrill 
war-cry  resounded  as  an  additional  force  on  foot 
emerged  from  the  dark  clump  of  trees  with  burnouses 
flying,  eyes  blazing,  and  firing  as  they  ran  they  rushed 
together  upon  us  in  such  numbers  as  to  prove  absolutely 
overwhelming.  With  rifles  held  high  above  their  heads, 
and  yelling  fiercely,  they  sped  onward,  driving  us  from 
our  cover,  and  shooting  us  down,  although  we  slashed, 
stabbed  and  hacked  like  very  demons.  Prodigies  of 
strength  and  valor  were  performed  by  my  comrades, 
the  Dervishes,  in  their  last  defence.  The  struggle 
inflamed  them,  as  it  ever  does  men  courageous  by 
nature  and  born  brave.  They  sold  their  lives  dearly, 
but  to  effectually  repulse  the  attack  or  to  crave  for 
quarter  were  alike  futile.  Alas,  the  soldiers  of  the 
Black  Standard,  who  for  years  had  fought  long  and 
fearlessly  for  the  holy  Mahdi  and  his  successor,  were 
now  falling  helpless  victims  to  the  cunning  and  rapidity 
with  which  the  Tuaregs  had  delivered  their  terrible 
onslaught. 

Full  of  breathless  anxiety  were  those  fatal  moments. 
Elated  by  their  success  and  filled  with  a  deadly  hatred 
against  us,  our  enemies  were  evidently  determined  to 
sweep  us  into  eternity.  The  ground  was  encumbered 
with  dead  and  dying.  Several  of  my  comrades,  believ- 
ing that  the  Jinns  had  deserted  us,  and  therefore  re- 
sistance was  useless,  threw  down  their  arms,  and  fall- 
ing on  their  knees,  cried,  in  the  name  of  the  One  for 
their  lives  to  be  spared,  but  the  Veiled  Men  of  the 
Desert  only  jeered,  and  shot  them  down  as  ruthlessly 


Sun  and  Silence,  19 

as  they  would  slaughter  dogs,  crying,  "  Kill  the  black- 
faced  sons  of  offal  !  Let  not  one  escape,  or  he  will 
give  warning  unto  the  hosts  of  the  accursed  tyrant,  the 
Khalifa.  Kill  the  dogs  !  Kill  them  !  "  My  comrades' 
death-wail  uplifted,  and,  sharpened  in  soaring,  hung  in 
anguish  at  its  height ;  then,  like  hope's  expiring  sigh, 
it  faltered  downward  and  fell  mute. 

Escape  was  hopeless  ;  we  had  fallen  into  an  ambush. 
Our  enemies  had  surrounded  us  by  hundreds.  Amid 
the  shrieks,  the  firing,  the  fiendish,  exultant  cries  of 
the  victors  and  the  fierce,  hoarse  curses  of  the  dying,  I 
fought  on  with  spear  and  shield,  unhorsing  more  than 
one  of  our  deadly  foes.  My  comrades  were  apparently 
all  being  ruthlessly  slaughtered,  when  suddenly  a  gigan- 
tic son  of  the  desert,  lithe  as  a  deer,  black  veiled,  and 
sitting  his  white  horse  as  if  he  were  part  of  it,  galloped 
straight  towards  me  with  a  loud  cry,  his  whirling  blade 
flourishing  in  mid-air  ready  to  match  me,  strength  to 
strength.  In  a  second  my  spear  left  my  hand,  and 
striking  him  full  in  the  breast,  felled  him  to  earth  a 
corpse,  but  ere  I  could  draw  breath,  another  piercing 
yell  sounded  behind  me,  and  I  felt  a  sharp  twinge  in 
the  left  shoulder.  Then  a  horrible,  choking  sensa- 
tion seized  me,  and  I  have  a  vague  recollection  of  a 
man's  dark  face,  hideously  distorted  by  hatred,  and 
with  a  black  rawani,  or  shawl  wrapped  around  it,  within 
a  few  inches  of  mine,  so  near  that  I  could  feel  his  hot, 
foetid  breath  upon  my  cheek. 

A  sudden  darkness  next  instant  fell  upon  me,  and  all 
consciousness  became  blotted  out. 

Of  events  that  immediately  followed,  or  of  how  long 
I  remained  insensible  I  have  no  knowledge.  Thoughts, 
strange  and  confused,  grim  and  pleasant,  incongruously 
mixed  flitted  through  my  unbalanced  mind,  but  I  had 
no  idea  of  place,  of  time,  of  anything.  A  darkness, 


£be  Ege  of  Hatac. 


black  and  impenetrable,  had  obliterated  my  senses  and 
held  me  powerless,  until  a  sharp  spasm  of  pain  shot 
through  my  limbs,  and  then  I  recollected,  in  a  half 
dreamy  manner,  that  I  had  fallen  in  the  desperate 
fight.  I  tried  to  repeat  the  first  sura,  but  my  lips,  cold 
and  clammy,  refused  to  utter  sound.  The  pain  in- 
creased in  intensity  until  my  whole  body  became 
racked  by  a  torture  so  acute  and  horrible  that  I  be- 
lieve I  must  have  fainted.  Many  are  the.  scars  I  had 
received  in  battle,  but  never  had  I  experienced  such 
suffering.  Indeed,  the  pain  was  so  intense  that  I  felt 
myself  writhing  in  terrible  agony,  while  the  perspira- 
tion stood  in  great  beads  upon  my  neck  and  brow,  and 
the  tightness  in  my  chest  held  me,  as  in  a  vice,  breath- 
less, with  all  the  horrible  pangs  of  asphyxiation. 

An  interval  of  senselessness  was  followed  by  a  brief 
period  of  calm  ;  then  gradually,  with  a  feeling  that  I 
was  struggling  hand-to-hand  with  Azrael,  the  dreaded 
Angel  of  Terrors,  I  slowly  struggled  back  to  conscious- 
ness. Blindly  enduring,  I  suffered  alternately  tor- 
ments of  fire  and  of  ice.  Memories  haunted  me,  vivid, 
voluptuous  ;  scenes  of  a  passionate  past  recurred.  I 
stood  in  a  magical  Hall  of  Echoes,  where  every  echo 
seemed  the  voice  it  mocked,  and  through  some  flaw  in 
each  illusion  drove  the  shattering  spear  of  truth. 

In  the  impenetrable  darkness  my  fingers  wandered 
involuntarily  to  seek  the  objects  around.  On  either 
side  I  stretched  forth  my  hands,  but  clutched  at  air. 
Faint  sibilations,  like  the  sound  of  hushed  whispering 
fell  upon  my  ear,  and  in  that  moment  filled  me  with  a 
strange  fear.  My  resting-place  seemed  soft  and  com- 
fortable, and  as  again  my  hands  sought  to  discover 
something  that  would  give  me  a  clue  to  my  where- 
abouts, my  fingertips  suddenly  came  into  contact  with 
embroidered  satin.  I  could  feel  the  raised  pattern 


Sun  an5  Silence.  21 

upon  the  smooth,  glossy  surface  at  my  side,  and  be- 
came aware  that  I  was  not  stretched  upon  the  sand, 
where  I  had  fallen,  but  upon  a  divan.  I  felt  the  cush- 
ion upon  which  my  aching  head  was  pillowed.  It  was 
also  of  satin,  soft  as  down.  The  air  seemed  heavy 
with  the  sensuous  intoxicating  odor  of  attar  of  rose 
rising  from  a  perfuming-pan — a  subtle  scent  that  still 
vibrates  my  memory — and  as  1  touched  the  pillow  I 
made  a  further  discovery.  Raising  my  hand  to  wipe 
my  clammy  brow,  I  became  aware  of  the  reason  of  my 
obscurity  of  vision. 

My  forehead  and  eyes  had  been  bandaged  with  a 
folded  square  of  thick  black  silk. 

By  frantic  movement  I  endeavored  _to  tear  away  the 
tightly-bound  fabric,  but  failed.  It  had  been  dexter- 
ously knotted,  and  no  effort  of  mine  could  remove  it. 
Again,  with  words  of  haste  upon  my  lips,  I  tried  to 
tear  it  from  my  eyes,  but  did  not  succeed,  for  when  I 
tried  to  lift  my  left  hand  to  my  head  I  again  experi- 
enced a  spasm  of  pain  that  was  excruciating. 

Suddenly  I  was  conscious  of  the  presence  of  some- 
one near  me,  and  a  voice  in  low,  soft,  musical  tones, 
scarcely  above  a  whisper,  exclaimed  in  the  Hausa 
tongue, — 

"  £arka,  sanu  sanu" 

My  acquaintance  with  this  language  of  the  people 
beyond  Lake  Tsad  was  very  imperfect,  but  I  neverthe- 
less knew  that  the  words  gave  me  peace,  and,  being 
translated,  were,  "  Allah,  bless  thee.  Gently,  gently." 

"  Peace  be  upon  thee,  O  unknown  friend,"  I  answered 
fervently,  in  Arabic.  "  Thou  who  hast  given  succor 
unto  the  wounded,  I  beseech  of  thee  allow  mine  eyes 
to  behold  the  mirror  of  thy  face." 

"  Of  a  verity  thine  eyes  shall  ere  long  witness  things 
that,  peradventure,  will  amaze  thee,"  answered  the  low 


22  Cbe  Eve  of  Istar. 


voice  of  the  unknown,  in  tones  in  which  severity  and 
gentleness  were  strangely  mingled. 

Soft  hands  deftly  unloosed  the  double  knots  at  the 
back  of  my  head,  the  scarf  was  drawn  away,  and  on 
eagerly  opening  my  bewildered  eyes  they  were  dazzled 
by  a  strange  flood  of  bright  light  that  poured  down 
upon  them. 

Next  second,  however,  my  vision  grew  accustomed 
to  the  extraordinary  brilliance,  and  the  scene  which 
met  my  wondering  gaze  was  so  strange  and  bewilder- 
ing, so  inexplicable  and  stupendous,  so  awe-inspiring 
yet  entrancing,  that,  in  sheer  amazement,  I  slowly 
raised  myself  upon  my  arm  and  gazed  aghast  in  stupe- 
faction, fascinated,  open-mouthed,  petrified. 


CHAPTER  III. 

AZALA. 

Mv  transition  had  been  remarkable ;  the  sight  that 
met  my  eyes  was,  indeed,  sufficient  to  cause  breathless 
wonderment. 

What  time  had  elapsed  since,  in  the  darkness  of 
night,  I  had  fallen  senseless  beneath  the  palms  of  the 
oasis  of  Sabo-n-Gari,  or  by  what  means  I  had  been  res- 
cued from  the  tortures  of  a  lingering  death  by  fever  and 
thirst,  I  knew  not.  I  had  lapsed  into  unconsciousness 
at  a  moment  when  the  last  of  my  brave  comrades  had 
been  slain,  only  to  awaken  and  find  myself  stretched 
on  a  divan  in  a  spacious  apartment,  the  walls  of  which 
were  richly  hung  with  rose-colored  silk.  The  marble 
floor  was  half  hidden  by  the  profusion  of  rugs  of  beau- 
tifully blended  hues,  while  around,  near  the  arched 


23 

roof,  verses  and  good  counsels  from  the  Koran  were 
written  in  Arabic  characters,  in  long  lean  letters  of 
gold.  There  were  many  dainty  coffee-stools  of  inlaid 
silver  and  pearl,  and  a  number  of  soft  divans  of  gold- 
colored  silk.  The  place  was  windowless,  but  the  sun- 
light, apparently  reflected  and  intensified  by  mirrors, 
was  admitted  from  the  roof,  and  so  directed  that  it  fell 
in  a  golden  bar  across  my  face,  presumably  for  the  pur- 
pose of  bringing  me  back  to  consciousness. 

At  one  end  of  this  brilliant  apartment  was  a  door 
with  horse-shoe  arch,  like  all  the  others,  leading  to  a 
little  retreat,  the  gloom  of  which  was,  to  me,  impene- 
trable. In  a  corner,  close  to  me,  was  a  great  gold  per- 
f uming-pan  from  which  rose  sweet  odors  in  a  column  of 
thin  blue  smoke,  while  two  gilded  derboukas  and  a  pair 
of  slippers,  cast  aside  upon  one  of  the  larger  mats, 
showed  that  the  occupants  had  indulged  in  those  terp- 
sichorean  exercises  in  which  Eastern  women  delight. 

Almost  before  I  could  realize  the  luxury  of  my  sur- 
roundings, a  soft,  cool  hand  was  laid  upon  my  fevered 
brow,  and,  turning  my  head  with  difficulty,  I  suddenly 
beheld  a  vision  of  wondrous  beauty.  Over  me  there 
bent  a  fair  face,  so  perfect  in  feature  that  I  became  en- 
tranced. The  eyes,  dark  and  large,  expressive  of  the 
soul  that  lay  behind,  held  me  in  fascination,  and  I 
gazed,  tongue-tied,  in  amazement. 

She  was  young,  not  more  than  twenty,  with  a  coun- 
tenace  white  as  those  of  the  Englishwomen  who  come 
to  Algiers  at  Ramadan  ;  soft  brown  eyes  denoting  the 
mildest,  tenderest  nature,  and  a  mouth  sweetly  pursed 
like  the  bud  of  a  rose.  Tendrils  of  soft,  brown,  wavy 
hair  strayed  across  a  fair  forehead,  hung  heavily  with 
strings  of  golden  sequins,  the  centre  of  which  was 
formed  by  a  great  oval  pearl  surrounded  by  diamonds, 
the  finest  my  eyes  had  ever  beheld,  and  in  her  ears 


24  Gbe  JE^e  of  flstar. 

were  large,  delicately-chased  rings  of  gold.  Her  dress 
was  the  gorgeous  costume  of  the  harem  :  the  tiny  skull- 
cap thickly  embroidered  with  gold  and  seed  pearls,  set 
jauntily  upon  her  head,  the  zouave  of  palest  amaranth 
velvet,  similarly  embroidered,  worn  over  a  gauzy,  low- 
necked  vest,  and  the  flimsy  serroual  or  trousers  of  pale 
pink  China  silk.  Her  white,  delicately-moulded  arms 
were  bare,  adorned  by  heavy  mesais  of  gold  and  jin- 
gling bangles  set  with  gems,  while  her  feet,  likewise 
uncovered,  were  thrust  into  dainty  little  embroidered 
slippers  of  pale  green  velvet,  her  redeefs  being  com- 
posed of  single  bands  of  curiously  worked  gold  set 
with  beautiful  jacinths.  Her  necklets,  of  which  she 
wore  fully  a  dozen,  were  of  various  patterns,  several 
being  composed  of  strings  of  golden  coins,  or  discs  of 
gold  thickly  encrusted  with  rubies  and  turquoises,  her 
oval  perfume  bottle,  suspended  at  her  breast,  being 
conspicuous  on  account  of  the  top  being  formed  of  a 
single  emerald,  while  the  diamonds  set  in  the  orna- 
ment itself  were  of  amazing  lustre. 

My  mouth  was  parched,  but  she  knelt  beside  me,  and 
supporting  me  with  her  left  arm,  with  her  right  held  a 
goblet  to  my  lips. 

How  it  came  about  I  never  knew,  but  before  the 
draught  was  finished  a  change  passed  over  me. 
Whether  it  was  her  soft  touch,  her  strange  and  fawn- 
like  loveliness,  or  the  tender  pity  in  her  eyes  matters 
not,  the  issue  was  the  same  ;  she  struck  some  chord  in 
my  turbulent  nature,  and  in  a  moment  it  was  filled  full 
with  passion  for  her.  I  did  not  for  a  moment  mis- 
take the  significance  of  the  flood  of  feeling  that  surged 
through  my  veins.  I  have  never  shirked  facts. 

"  I  thank  thee,"  I  said  ;  "thine  hand  is  kind." 

As  she  smiled  upon  me,  moving  slightly,  her  sequins 
tinkled,  and  the  ray  of  sunlight,  streaming  full  upon 


25 

her,  caused  her  jewels  to  flash  and  gleam  with  a  thou- 
sand iridescent  fires,  producing  an  effect  that  was  daz- 
zling. 

Opening  her  lips  she  displayed  an  even  set  of  beauti- 
ful pearly  teeth,  as  she  exclaimed,  in  the  soft  speech  of 
my  mother  tongue, — 

"  Peace,  O  stranger.  May  the  blessing  of  the  One, 
whose  name  be  exalted,  rest  eternally  upon  thee.  Let 
not  fear  oppress  thee  ;  of  a  verity  thou  art  with 
friends." 

"  Mine  eyes  are  bewildered,  O  One  of  Beauty,  whose 
countenance  is  as  the  glorious  light  of  day,  and  whose 
eyes  are  brilliant  as  stars  in  the  desert.  Upon  thee  be 
perfect  peace  and  the  fervent  blessings  of  one  who  hath 
approached  near  unto  Certainty,"  I  answered  with  diffi- 
culty. Then,  as  I  raised  my  hand  and  it  came  into 
contact  with  bandages  about  my  shoulder,  I  added 
"  The  darkness  of  unconsciousness  hath  long  obscured 
my  mind,  and  I  know  not  under  whose  roof  I  rest. 
Allah  hath  been  gracious  unto  me.  Verily,  He  be- 
stoweth  abundant  provision  on  such  of  His  servants  as 
He  pleaseth." 

"  Yea,  O  stranger,"  she  answered,  piously.  "  Every- 
thing shall  perish  except  Himself  ;  unto  Him  belongeth 
judgment.  Accursed  be  those  who  struck  thee  down, 
for  Allah,  Gracious  Bestower  of  abundant  benefits, 
knoweth  both  the  secret  malice  which  their  breasts 
conceal  and  the  open  hatred  which  they  discover." 

In  a  fit  of  renewed  weakness,  brought  about  by  the 
turmoil  of  my  blood,  I  lay  back  upon  the  silken  pillows 
watching  her  face.  It  almost  seemed  as  though  some- 
thing of  what  was  passing  in  my  mind  communicated 
itself  to  her. 

"  Knowest  thou  mine  enemies  ?  "  I  asked,  raising  my- 
self, and,  to  my  astonishment,  discovering,  for  the  first 


26  ZTbe  Eve  of  Istar. 


time,  that  the  loose  garments  I  wore  were  of  finest  silk, 
and  that  I  was  veiled  and  disguised  as  a  woman. 

"  I  know  that  thou  wouldst  kill  me,"  she  answered 
briefly,  with  a  curious  smile,  standing  before  me  with 
hands  behind  her  back,  a  veritable  houri. 

"  Kill  thee  !     Why  ?  " 

"  Because  thou  art  a  soldier  of  the  great  Khalifa  of 
Omdurman,  enemy  of  my  people,  and  Ruler  of  the 
Soudan." 

"What  name  bearest  thou  ?"  I  asked. 

"  I  am  called  Azala  Fathma." 

"  Daughter  of  whom  ?  " 

"  Daughter  of  'Othman,  Sultan  of  Sokoto." 

"  Thou  -  Princess  of  Sokoto  !  "  I  gasped,  strug- 
gling slowly  and  with  difficulty  to  my  feet,  scarcely  be- 
lieving my  ears.  "  Where,  then,  have  I  taken  mine 
ease  ?  " 

"  For  three  days  past  hast  thou  been  concealed  here, 
in  the  harem  of  thine  enemy,"  she  answered,  in  low, 
placid  tones,  looking  seriously  at  me.  Then,  noticing 
the  uneasy  glance  I  cast  in  the  direction  of  the  dark 
alcove  beyond,  she  added  quickly,  "  Let  not  appre- 
hension fall  upon  thee.  To  this  my  apartment  none 
dares  enter  unbidden,  therefore  thou  art  safe,  even 
in  the  midst  of  those  whom  thou  didst  seek  to  de- 
stroy." 

"  Chastise  me  not  with  a  scourge  of  words,  O 
Daughter  of  the  Sultan,"  I  said,  apologetically.  "  Thy 
servant  Zafar-Ben-A'Ziz,  Arab  of  the  Chawi,  horseman 
of  the  Khalifa,  armeth  not  himself  against  those  who 
give  him  succor,  nor  seeketh  he  the  overthrow  of  the 
city  of  thy  father." 

Leaning  gracefully,  with  her  back  against  the  twisted 
column  of  polished  marble,  inlaid  with  gold,  support- 
ing the  arched  roof,  she  clasped  her  hands  behind  her 


27 

handsome  head  and  gazed  at  me.  Then,  half  re- 
proachfully she  said, — 

"Whoso  doth  that  which  is  right,  doth  it  to  the 
advantage  of  his  own  soul  ;  and  whoso  doth  evil,  doth 
it  against  the  same  :  hereafter  shall  we  return  unto 
Allah.  Thou  earnest  with  scouts  to  reconnoitre — per- 
chance to  enter  this  our  city  singly  or  in  company — 
so  that  on  the  advance  of  the  ruthless  legions  of  thy 
Sultan  thou  mightest,  by  treachery,  admit  them  within 
our  walls.  But  Allah,  who  hath  placed  the  twelve  signs 
in  the  heavens,  is  merciful  and  knoweth  the  hearts 
of  men.  Thine  encampment  was  discovered  and  de- 
stroyed." 

"  How  was  my  life  spared  ? "  I  asked. 

"  I  was  present  when  thou  wert  forced  to  bite  the 
dust,"  she  explained.  "I  had  journeyed  unto  Katsena, 
where  I  had  lingered  one  moon,  and  was  returning 
hither  to  Kano  when  my  Tuareg  guards,  warned  of 
thine  approach,  watched  thee  by  stealth,  and  in  the 
darkness  fell  upon  thee  at  a  moment  when  thou  wert 
unprepared.  On  the  rising  of  the  sun  I  searched  the 
spot,  and  found  that  thou  alone  still  lived.  Secretly 
thou  wert  attired  in  the  haick  belonging  to  one  of  my 
handmaidens,  and  by  my  orders  conveyed  hither  in  a 
jakfi  on  one  of  mine  own  camels.  Still  dressed  as  a 
female  slave  thou  wert  able  to  pass  the  guards  of  the 
outer  courts  and  of  the  harem,  to  rest  and  recover  on 
mine  own  divan." 

"  Then  to  thee,  O  Azala,  Princess  of  Sokoto,  whose 
beauty  is  peerless,  I  owe  my  life,"  I  answered,  fervently. 
"  Truly  hast  thou  snatched  me  back  from  the  grave, 
even  though  I  sought  to  assist  in  the  sacking  of  this, 
the  palace  of  thy  father,  and  in  the  holding  of  thy  people 
in  bondage.  Tell  me,  why  shouldst  thou  interest  thy- 
self in  my  well-being  ?  " 


28  Cbe  JEge  of  Istat. 

Hesitating,  apparently  confused  at  my  question, 
Azala  moved  uneasily,  toying  with  the  silken  fringe  of 
her  broad  girdle. 

"  Is  it  not  written  that  we  should  bear  no  malice  ? " 
she  answered,  after  a  pause.  "  Al-Sijil  registereth  our 
deeds." 

"Wisdom  falleth  from  thy  lips,"  I  said,  smiling. 
"  But  hadst  thou  no  motive  in  bringing  me  into  this 
thine  apartment,  even  at  the  imminent  risk  of  detec- 
tion and  disgrace  ?  " 

"  I  am  not  compelled  to  answer  thy  question,"  she 
replied,  with  a  forced  laugh.  "  Reason  underlyeth 
most  of  our  actions." 

"  And  wilt  thou  not  explain  thy  reason  ?  " 

"  No.  At  present  my  lips  must  remain  sealed,"  she 
answered  calmly,  her  bejewelled  breast  heaving  and 
falling  in  a  long-drawn  sigh.  "  Peradventure  thou 
mayest  learn  my  motive  some  day  ;  then  will  thine 
eyes  open  in  astonishment,  for  thou  wilt  gain  knowledge 
of  things  undreamed  of  and  behold  marvels  amazing." 

"  Thou  speakest  in  enigmas.  When  may  these  secrets 
be  revealed  unto  me  ?  Of  what  character  are  they  ?  " 

"  Seek  not  to  unloosen  my  tongue's  strings,  O  mine 
enemy " 

"  Nay,  not  enemy,  friend,  grateful  and  ever  devoted," 
I  interrupted. 

"  Then,  if  thou  art  my  friend  seek  not  to  discover 
mine  innermost  thoughts,"  she  said,  earnestly.  "As 
the  wicked  are  in  Sajin,  beneath  the  seventh  heaven, 
where  dwelleth  Eblis  and  his  host,  so  assuredly  will 
those  who  seek  to  discover  the  hidden  marvels  without 
mine  aid  or  sanction  taste  of  the  bitter  fruit  of  Al- 
Zakkum." 

"  But  if  thou  givest  unto  me  a  pledge  that  thou  wilt 
render  explanation,  I  will  be  content,"  I  said. 


29 

"  Not  only  will  I,  when  the  time  is  ripe,  explain  the 
strange  secret  unto  thee,  but,  likewise,  shall  I  seek 
thine  assistance  in  elucidating  a  strange  and  incom- 
prehensible mystery." 

"  I  am  thine  to  command,"  I  answered  gallantly, 
taking  her  slim,  white  hand  in  mine.  "When  thou 
desireth  me  to  serve  thee,  O  Azala,  thou  wilt  find  me 
ever  ready,  for  to  thee  I  owe  my  life  ;  my  future  is  in 
thine  hands." 

"  To  seek  the  key  of  the  hidden  mystery,  to  vanquish 
the  angel  Malec  who  hath  charge  of  the  gates  of  hell, 
will  require  a  stout  heart  and  lion's  courage,"  she  said 
slowly,  fixing  her  clear,  wonderful  eyes  upon  mine,  and 
allowing  her  soft  bejewelled  hand  to  linger  for  a  second 
within  my  grasp. 

"  When  the  day  dawneth  thou  wilt  not  find  me  want- 
ing in  defiance  of  danger,  for,  of  a  verity,  I  fear  noth- 
ing with  the  beauteous  daughter  of  the  Sultan  'Othman 
as  my  pole-star." 

For  a  second  a  blush  suffused  her  pale  cheeks. 

"As  thou  trusteth  me,  so  also  will  I  trust  thee,"  she 
said,  in  deep  earnestness.  "  Even  though  my  position 
is  exalted  as  Princess  of  Sokoto  ;  even  though  I  am 
surrounded  by  all  that  is  beautiful,  with  many  slaves 
to  do  my  bidding,  yet  unhappiness  eateth  like  a  canker- 
worm  into  my  heart." 

"Wherefore  art  thou  unhappy?"  I  asked,  sympa- 
thetically. 

"Ah  !  the  reason  none  may  know,"  she  sighed. 
"  Until  I  call  upon  thee  to  render  thine  aid  in  seeking 
to  discover  things  that  are  forbidden,  thou  must  nec- 
essarily remain  in  the  outer  darkness  of  ignorance. 
Here,  in  the  palace  of  my  father,  thou  must  remain  in 
hiding  until  the  time  for  action  cometh.  Then  will  I 
show  thee  that  which  will  fascinate  and  astound  thee." 


3o  Cbe  EEe  of  Istar. 

"  Thy  words  of  mystery  arouse  curiosity  within  me,'' 
I  said.  "  Canst  thou  not  reveal  to  me  anything  now  ? " 

"  Nothing.  Save  to  tell  thee  that  thou  canst,  if  thou 
wilt,  shield  me  from  a  fate  worse  than  death.  A  disas- 
ter, horrible  and  complete,  threatened!  to  overwhelm 
me,  and  thou  alone  canst  prevent  it." 

"How?" 

"  By  patience,  silence,  and  passive  obedience  to  my 
commands." 

"  I  am  thine,"  I  said,  as,  entranced  by  her  marvellous 
grace  and  beauty,  my  arm  slowly  encircled  her  slim 
waist,  begirt  with  dull  gold  and  flashing  jewels.  I 
strove  to  draw  her  to  me,  but  without  any  violence  of 
movement,  and  with  the  most  perfect  dignity,  she  dis- 
engaged herself  from  my  embrace.  Yet  I  held  her  to 
me  and  breathed  into  her  ear  words  of  devotion. 
Then,  as  her  beautiful  head  at  last  turned  slowly  to- 
ward me,  and  her  eyes,  looking  into  mine,  spoke 
mutely  of  reciprocated  affection,  our  lips  met  in  a  hot, 
passionate  caress. 

I  was  trembling  upon  the  pinnacle  of  Al-Araf,  that 
partition  that  divides  pleasure  from  misery,  love  from 
hatred,  hell  from  paradise.  She  was  the  proud  and 
handsome  daughter  of  the  Sultan  'Othman,  the  woman, 
the  fame  of  whose  exquisite  beauty  had  long  ago 
reached  us  even  in  far-off  Omdurman  ;  I,  a  mere  Der- 
vish, without  home  or  property,  one  of  a  band  paid 
by  the  all-powerful  Khalifa  to  plunder,  murder  and 
destroy. 

What  words  of  tenderness  I  uttered  I  scarcely  re- 
member. The  sensuous  fragrance,  rising  from  the 
perfuming-pan,  seemed  to  induce  a  sweet,  dreamy  half- 
cousciousness,  but  for  the  first  time  I  experienced  the 
passion  of  love.  I  loved  her  with  all  the  strength  of 
my  being,  and  the  only  words  that  impressed  them- 


31 

selves  upon  me  in  those  moments  of  mad  infatuation 
were  those  uttered  by  the  woman  I  adored, — 

"Yea,  O  Zafar,  I  will  place  my  trust  in  thee." 

Resting  in  my  embrace,  her  bright  eyes  betrayed  her 
perfect  happiness,  and  as  I  softly  stroked  her  silky 
hair  and  implanted  a  kiss  upon  her  white,  sequin-cov- 
ered brow  she  clung  to  me  with  her  long  bare  arms 
clasped  tightly  around  my  neck  in  an  ecstasy  of  joy. 

"  Never  will  I  forsake  thee,"  I  answered,  fondly. 
"  With  the  faithfulness  and  obedience  of  a  slave  will  I 
carry  out  thy  commands,  for  thou  art  my  queen  and  I 
thy  devoted  bondman."  . 

Tears  dimmed  her  bright,  clear  eyes  ;  tears  of  joy 
she  vainly  strove  to  suppress. 

"  Truly  to-day  is  the  dawn  of  my  life's  happiness," 
she  said,  in  a  low  tone,  full  of  emotion.  "  To-day  Allah 
hath  sent  me  a  friend." 

"And,  on  my  part,  I  pledge  myself  unto  thee  with 
unswerving  devotion,"  I  exclaimed,  fervently.  "In 
veiled  words  hast  thou  spoken  of  certain  solemn  se- 
crets. When  thou  explanest  to  me  my  task  of  elucida- 
tion, assuredly  wilt  thou  find  me  ready  and  eager  to 
undertake  it.  In  thine  hands  thou  holdest  my  future, 
for  life  or  death." 

"  Upon  those  who  seek  to  come  between  us  may  the 
wrath  of  the  One  Granter  of  Requests  fall  like  an 
avenging  fire  ;  may  they  find  no  patron  nor  defender, 
nor  may  they  rest  beneath  the  shadow  of  the  lote-tree," 
she  said.  "  It  is  written  in  the  Book  of  Everlasting 
Will  that  Allah,  who  knoweth  all  things,  joineth  man 
and  woman  with  his  bounteous  blessing.  Therefore 
may  the  rose-grove  of  thy  prosperity  and  good  fortune 
be  increased  daily  in  freshness  and  magnificence,  and 
in  what  difficulty  thou  mayest  be  placed,  or  into  what 
evil  thou  mayest  peradventure,  fall,  bear  in  thy  mind  my 


32  Gbe  JE^e  ot  Ustar. 

declaration  of  love,  and  remember  always  that,  even 
though  deserts  of  great  space  and  rapid  waters  may 
separate  us,  I  am  thine  and  thou  art  mine  alone.  I 
trust  to  thee  to  break  asunder  the  invisible  bonds  that 
fetter  me  unto  misery." 

"But  surely  we  shall  not  be  parted,"  I  exclaimed, 
the  mere  suggestion  being  intolerable. 

"  Neither  sultans  nor  their  kin  are  capable  of  ruling 
events,"  she  said.  "  Of  what  the  future  may  have  in 
store  none  knoweth  but  the  sorceresses  and  the  wise 
women,  who,  alas !  holdeth  their  knowledge  to  them- 
selves." 

"  True,  O  Azala,  my  enchantress.  In  like  manner 
wilt  thou  remember  always,  if  we  part,  that  I  shall  be 
striving  to  return  unto  thee  ;  that  the  one  object  of  my 
life  henceforward  is  to  break  asunder  the  mysterious 
fetters  of  thine  unhappiness." 

Our  hands  clasped.  She  looked  straight  into  my 
eyes.  Hers  was  no  dreamy  nature.  With  her,  to  re- 
solve was  but  a  preliminary  of  to  execute.  No  physi- 
ognomist would  need  to  have  been  told  that  this 
beautiful  woman,  so  quick  in  intelligence,  so  kind  in 
manner,  so  buoyant  and  joyous  in  disposition,  was  at 
the  same  time,  in  force  of  character  and  determination, 
as  firm  as  adamant. 

"  And  thou  wilt  not  fail  to  render  me  assistance  in 
the  hour  of  my  need  ?"  she  exclaimed. 

"  May  Allah  bear  witness  that  I  am  prepared  to 
strive  towards  the  elucidation  of  thy  mystery  while  I 
have  breath." 

Pressing  my  hand  with  lingering  tenderness,  she 
said, — 

"  Thy  words  give  peace  unto  me,  O  Zafar.  Hence- 
forth shall  I  rest  in  the  knowledge  that  the  man  who 
is  my  friend  is  prepared  to  risk  his  life  on  my  behalf." 


33 

"  Yea,"  I  answered  ;  adding,  "  of  a  verity  this  meet- 
ing between  enemies  hath  been  a  strange  one.  Hast 
thou  not  warned  thy  father  of  the  approach  of  the 
hosts  of  the  Khalifa  ? " 

"  Even  on  the  same  night  as  thine  encampment  was 
destroyed  warning  was  conveyed  unto  him,  with  the 
result  that  our  troops  have  been  sent  forward  into  the 
desert  with  the  object  of  checking  the  advance  of  thy 
tribesmen." 

"  They  are  not  my  clansmen,"  I  answered,  quickly. 
"  I  am  an  Arab,  a  native  of  the  Aures,  the  mountains 
far  north  beyond  the  Great  Desert." 

"  Then  thou  art  not  a  Dervish  ? "  she  exclaimed, 
gladly. 

"  No,"  I  answered,  and  at  the  same  moment  remem- 
bering that  the  Khalifa's  troops  numbered  many  thou- 
sands, and  that  it  was  scarcely  likely  that  they  would 
be  turned  aside  in  their  onward  march  by  a  few  squad- 
rons of  the  Sultan  of  Sokoto,  I  asked, — 

"  Have  the  horsemen  of  the  Black  Standard  been 
routed  ? " 

"  I  know  not.  Yesterday  I  overheard  the  messengers 
delivering  their  report  to  the  Sultan  in  the  Hall  of 
Audience,"  she  replied. 

"  But  if  they  are  still  advancing  !  Think  what  terri- 
ble fate  awaiteth  thee  if  the  soldiers  of  the  Khalifa 
loot  this  thy  beautiful  palace,  and  spread  death  and 
desolation  through  thy  city  with  fire  and  sword  !  " 

"  Arrangements  have  already  been  made  for  my 
secret  escape.  In  case  of  danger  I  shall  assume  thy 
garments,  arms  and  shield,  which  I  have  preserved, 
and  pass  as  a  Dervish."  % 

"  Excellent,"  I  said,  laughing  at  her  ingenuity.  "But 
let  us  hope  that  my  comrades  will  never  gain  these  walls. 
If  they  do,  it  will,  alas  !  be  an  evil  day  for  Kano." 


34  ttbe  £££  of  fstar. 

"  The  detection  and  slaughter  of  thy  scouts  placed 
our  army  upon  its  guard,"  she  said.  "  Already  the  de- 
fences of  our  city  have  been  strengthened,  and  every 
man  is  under  arms.  If  the  Dervishes  attack  us,  of  a 
verity  will  they  meet  with  an  opposition  long  and  strenu- 
ous, for  by  our  fighting  men  the  walls  of  Kano  are 
believed  to  be  impregnable.  See  !  "  she  added,  draw- 
ing aside  a  portion  of  the  silken  hangings  close  to  her, 
and  disclosing  a  small  window  covered  with  a  quaintly- 
worked  wooden  lattice.  "  Yonder  our  men  are  watch- 
ing. Our  principal  city  gate,  the  Kofa-n-Dakaina,  is 
strongly  guarded  by  night  and  day." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE   MARK    OF    THE    ASPS. 
< 

STEPPING  to  the  window,  I  found  that  the  apartment 
in  which  we  stood  was  evidently  situated  in  a  tower 
of  the  palace — which  I  had  heard  was  built  high  on 
Mount  Dala — for  the  great  city,  with  its  white,  flat- 
roofed  houses  and  cupolas,  and  minarets  of  mosques, 
lay  stretched  beneath  us.  At  the  massive  gate,  in  the 
high  frowning  walls  which  surrounded  the  extensive  and 
wealthy  capital  of  the  Empire  of  Sokoto,  the  far-famed 
entrepot  of  Central  Africa,  soldiers,  attired  in  bright 
uniforms  of  blue  and  gold,  swarmed  like  flies,  while 
cannon  bristled  on  the  walls,  and  everywhere  spears 
and  arms  glittered  in  the  sun.  She  pointed  out  the 
Jakara,  a  wide,  deep  lake,  the  great  Slave  Market 
crowded  with  buyers,  sellers  and  human  merchandise, 
the  Palace  of  Ghaladima  and  the  Kofa  Mazuger.  The 
city  was  agog,  for  the  hum  of  life  rose  from  its  crowded 


fflarft  of  tbe  Bsps.  35 

streets  and  busy  market-places,  mingling  now  and  then 
with  the  ominous  roll  of  the  war-drums,  the  twanging 
of  ginkris,  the  clashing  of  cymbals,  and  the  shouts  of 
the  eager,  ever-watchful  troops.  By  the  cloudless, 
milk-white  sky  I  knew  it  was  about  noon,  and  the  sun 
directly  overhead  poured  down  mercilessly  upon  the 
immense  sandy  plain  which  stretched  away  eastward 
and  northward  until  it  was  lost  in  the  misty  haze  of 
the  distant  horizon.  Date  palms  rose  in  small  clusters 
near  the  ornamental  lake  in  the  centre  of  the  city  ;  in 
the  square  spreading  alleluba-trtes  cast  their  welcome 
shade,  and  beautiful  gondas  unfolded  their  large,  feather- 
like  leaves  above  slender  and  undivided  stems,  but 
beyond  the  city  walls  there  was  not  a  tree,  not  a  blade 
of  grass,  not  a  living  thing.  Out  there  all  was  sun, 
sand  and  silence. 

"  Dost  thou  reside  here  always  ? "  I  asked,  as  to- 
gether we  gazed  down  upon  the  great  white  city. 

"  Yes.  Seldom  are  we  in  Sokoto  itself,  for  of  later 
years  its  prosperity  hath  declined,  and  the  palace  is  of 
meagre  proportions  ;  indeed,  it  is  now  half  ruined  and 
almost  deserted.  The  wealth  and  industry  of  the  em- 
pire is  centred  here  in  Kano,  for  our  trade  extendeth  as 
far  north  as  Mourkouk,  Ghat,  and  even  Tripoli  ;  to  the 
west,  not  only  to  Timbuktu,  but  even  to  the  shores  of 
the  great  sea  ;  to  the  east,  all  over  Bornu  ;  and  to  the 
south,  among  the  Igbira,  the  Igbo,  and  among  the 
pagans  and  ivory  hunters  of  the  Congo." 

"  True,"  I  said,  gazing  round  upon  the  prosperous 
capital  of  one  of  the  most  interesting  empires  in  the 
world.  "  It  is  scarcely  surprising  that  my  ambitious 
lord,  the  Khalifa,  should  desire  to  annex  the  land  of 
the  Sultan  'Othman.  Even  our  own  cities  of  Omdurman 
or  Khartoum  are  not  of  such  extent.  How  many  per- 
sons inhabit  this,  thy  palace  ?  " 


36  Gbe  Eve  of  Ifetar. 

"  In  this,  the  Great  Fada,  nearly  three  thousand  men 
and  women  reside.  In  the  harem  alone  are  four 
hundred  women  and  six  hundred  slaves  and  eunuchs, 
while  the  Imperial  bodyguard  numbers  nearly  a  thou- 
sand. 

Glancing  below,  I  saw  the  palace  was  enclosed  by 
white  walls  as  high  and  strong  as  the  outer  fortifica- 
tions. It  was  built  within  the  great  Kasba  or  fortress, 
a  veritable  city  within  a  city. 

Turning,  our  eyes  met,  and  pointing  to  the  distant, 
sun-baked  wilderness,  I  exclaimed, — 

"  Away  there,  the  vultures  would  already  have 
stripped  my  bones  hadst  thou  not  taken  compassion 
upon  me." 

"  Speak  not  again  of  that,"  she  answered.  "  Thou 
wert  the  only  man  in  whose  body  the  spark  of  life  still 
burned.  It  was  my  duty  to  rescue  thee,"  she  replied, 
rather  evasively. 

"  Now  that  we  understand  and  trust  each  other,  now 
indeed,  that  we  are  friends  true  and  faithful,  wilt  thou 
not  tell  me  why  thou  didst  convey  me  hither  unto  thine 
apartment  ?  " 

She  hesitated,  gazing  away  towards  the  misty  line 
where  sky  and  desert  joined,  until  suddenly  she  turned, 
and  looking  boldly  into  my  face  with  her  clear,  trusting 
eyes,  answered, — 

"  It  was  in  consequence  of  something  that  was  re- 
vealed." 

"  By  whom?" 

"  By  thee," 

"What  revelation  have  I  made?"  I  asked,  sorely 
puzzled. 

She  held  her  breath,  her  fingers  twitched  with  ner- 
vous excitement,  and  the  color  left  her  cheeks.  She 
seemed  striving  to  preserve  some  strange  secret,  yet, 


Gbe  ttlarfc  of  tbe  Ssps.  37 

at  the  same  time,  half  inclined  to  render  me  the  ex- 
planation I  sought. 

"The  astounding  truth  became  unveiled  uncon- 
sciously," she  said. 

"  My  mind  faileth  to  follow  the  meanderings  of  thy 
words,"  I  said.  "  What  truth  ?  " 

"  Behold  ! "  she  cried,  and  hitching  the  slim  fingers 
of  both  her  hands  in  the  bodice  of  cream  flimsy  silk  she 
wore  beneath  her  zouave,  she  tore  it  asunder  disclos- 
ing, not  without  a  blush  of  modesty,  her  white  chest. 

"  Behold  !  "  she  cried,  hoarsely.  "  What  dost  thou 
recognize  ? " 

With  both  her  hands  she  held  the  torn  garment 
apart,  and,  as  she  did  so,  my  eyes  became  riveted  in 
abject  amazement.  Bending,  I  examined  it  closely, 
assuring  myself  that  I  was  not  dreaming. 

"  Hast  thou  never  seen  its  counterpart  ?  "  she  asked, 
panting  breathlessly. 

"  Yea,"  I  answered,  with  bated  breath.  "  Of  a  verity 
the  coincidence  astoundeth  me." 

The  sight  caused  me  to  marvel  greatly ;  I  was  be- 
wildered, for  it  conjured  up  a  thought  that  was  horrible. 
In  the  exact  centre  of  her  delicate  chest,  immediately 
above  her  heaving  bosom,  was  a  strange,  dark  red  mark 
of  curious  shape,  deeply  branded  into  the  white  flesh, 
as  if  at  some  time  or  other  it  had  been  seared  by  a  red- 
hot  iron.  The  paleness  of  the  flesh  and  the  firm  con- 
tour of  her  bosom  rendered  the  indelible  mark  the 
more  hideous,  but  its  position  and  its  shape  dum- 
founded  me.  The  strange  blemish  constituted  an  in- 
explicable mystery. 

It  was  unaccountable,  incredible.  I  stood  agape, 
staring  at  it  with  wide-open,  wondering  eyes,  convinced 
that  its  discovery  was  precursory  of  revelations  star- 
tling and  undreamed  of. 


38  £be  JEge  of  fstar. 

The  mark,  about  the  length  of  the  little  finger,  and 
perfectly  defined,  was  shaped  to  represent  two  serpents 
with  heads  facing   each  other,  their   writhing   bodies 
intertwined    in    double    curves. 
In  itself  this  mystic  brand   was 
hideous  enough,  but  to  me  it  had 
a  significance  deeper  and  more 
amazing,   for   in   the  centre   of 
my  own  chest  I  bore  a  mark  ex- 
actly identical  in  every  detail  ! 

For  years  ;  nay,  ever  since  I 
had  known  myself,  the  red  scar, 
not  so  noticeable  upon  my 
brown,  sun-tanned  skin  as  upon 
Azala's  pale,  delicate  breast,  had 
been  one  of  the  mysteries  of  my 
life.  Vividly  I  remembered  how,  in  my  early  youth,  in 
far  El-Manaa  I  had  sought  an  explanation  of  my  par- 
ents, but  they  would  never  vouchsafe  any  satisfactory 
reply.  On  what  occasion,  or  for  what  purpose  the 
mysterious  brand  had  been  placed  upon  me  I  knew  not. 
Vaguely  I  believed  that  it  had  been  impressed  as  a 
means  of  identification  at  my  birth,  and  until  this 
moment  had  been  fully  convinced  that  I  alone  bore  the 
strangely-shaped  device.  Judge,  then,  my  abject  as- 
tonishment to  find  a  similar  mark,  evidently  impressed 
by  the  identical  seal,  upon  the  breast  of  the  woman 
who  had  thus  exerted  her  ingenuity  to  save  my  life — 
the  woman  whose  grace  and  marvellous  beauty  had 
captivated  me,  the  woman  who  had  admitted  that  she 
reciprocated  my  affection. 

In  that  brief  moment  I  remembered  well  the  strange, 
ambiguous  reply  that  my  mother  had  given  me  when, 
as  a  lad,  my  natural  curiosity  had  been  aroused, — 

"  Sufficient  for  thee  to  know  that  the  Mark  of  the 


ftlarft  of  tbe  Heps.  39 

Asps  is  upon  thee,  O  my  son.  Seek  not  to  discover  its 
significance  until  thou  meetest  with  its  exact  counter- 
part. Then  strive  night  and  day  to  learn  the  truth, 
for  if  thou  canst  elucidate  the  mystery,  thine  ears  will 
listen  to  strange  things,  and  thine  eyes  will  behold 
wondrous  and  undreamed-of  marvels." 

Since  then,  twenty  long  years  had  elapsed,  and  I  had 
wandered  far  and  near,  in  England,  in  France,  in 
Algeria  and  across  the  Great  Desert.  Both  my  parents 
had  died  with  the  strange  secret  still  locked  in  their 
hearts,  for  by  no  amount  of  ingenious  questioning 
could  I  succeed  in  unloosing  their  tongues.  Now,  how- 
ever, my  mother's  prophetic  utterance  and  counsel, 
spoken  in  our  white  house  on  the  green  hill-side,  came 
back  vividly  to  my  memory,  and  I  gazed  in  silence  at 
Azala  full  of  apprehensive  thoughts. 

My  mother  had  more  than  once  assured  me  that  she 
knew  not  its  meaning,  and  that,  although  she  had 
sought  explanation  of  my  father,  he  had  refused  to  re- 
veal to  her  more  than  she  had  told  me,  and  he,  too,  had 
died  with  the  secret  resolutely  preserved.  But  the  ex- 
act counterpart  of  the  brand  burnt  into  my  own  flesh 
was  now  before  me.  What  could  be  the  significance  of 
the  two  asps  ?  how,  indeed,  came  the  daughter  of  the 
great  Sultan  'Othman,  whom  none  dare  approach,  to 
be  disfigured  the  same  as  myself,  a  free-booter  of  the 
Khalifa,  a  Dervish  and  an  outcast  ? 

"How  earnest  thou  to  bear  the  brand  of  the  ser- 
pents?" I  asked,  when  again  I  found  speech.  "An 
identical  mark  is  upon  my  own  breast  also." 

But  ere  she  could  answer  my  inquiry  a  stealthy 
movement  behind  startled  us,  and  as  I  turned,  two 
gigantic  black  eunuchs  sprang  upon  me,  while  two 
others  appeared  from  behind  the  rose  silk  hangings. 

"  Behold  ! "  cried  a  man,  whom  I  knew  by  his  gor- 


40  Ube  Bge  of  Ustar. 

geous  dress  to  be  the  Aga  of  the  Eunuchs.  "  It  is  a 
man,  not  a  woman  !  The  slave  hath  not  lied.  Seize 
him  ! " 

"  May  Allah  show  thee  mercy  !  "  gasped  Azala,  pale 
and  trembling,  with  clasped  hands.  "  We  are  be- 
trayed ! " 

I  struggled  and  fought  with  all  the  strength  I  pos- 
sessed, but  my  brutal  captors  bore  me  down,  and  in 
their  sinewy  hands  I  was  in  a  moment  helpless  as  a 
babe.  Then  I  knew  that  Azala  was,  alas  !  lost  to  me. 
Romance,  hope,  passion,  one  by  one,  dropped,  ember- 
like,  into  the  ashes. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE    BLACK    EUNUCH. 

AZALA,  with  blanched  face  and  clasped  hands  uplifted 
in  supplication,  sank  upon  her  knees  before  the  gigan- 
tic Chief  of  the  Black  Eunuchs,  whom  she  addressed  as 
Khazneh,  beseeching  him  with  arguments,  persuasive, 
forcible  and  passionate,  to  spare  my  life. 

"All  blame  be  upon  my  head  !  "  she  cried,  in  earnest 
appeal.  "  He  fell  wounded  at  the  fight  of  Sabo-n-Gari, 
and  I  tended  him  and  brought  him  hither.  Spare  him  ! 
Let  not  the  keen  arrow  of  sorrow  enter  the  soul  of  the 
daughter  of  thy  Master,  the  Sultan." 

"  Thy  servant  hath  already  received  his  orders,"  the 
high  and  potent  official  replied  with  imperturbable  cool- 
ness, resting  his  hand  on  the  bejewelled  hilt  of  his 
great  scimitar,  looking  down  at  her  upturned  and 
agitated  countenance. 

"  From  whom?"- 


JSlacfc  Bunucb.  41 

«•  x: 

"  From  my  Imperial  Master,  thine  august  father." 

"  May  the  curse  of  Eblis  rest  upon  our  betrayer  !  " 
she  cried,  with  a  quick  setting  of  her  mouth.  "The 
stranger  hath  done  no  harm,  but  by  me,  it  seemeth,  he 
hath  been  brought  unto  his  doom." 

"  He  is  thy  lover.  Thou  wert  suspected  two  days 
ago,"  the  eunuch  answered  gruffly,  standing  statuesque 
and  immovable  while  my  captors  held  me,  apparently 
reluctant  to  move,  because  they  desired  to  overhear 
the  argument  between  the  beautiful  Azala  and  their 
master. 

"  I  deny  thine  accusation,"  she  replied,  rising  to  her 
feet  quite  calmly.  "  Thou,  Khazneh,  who  art  power- 
ful here  in  the  harem,  shall  learn  a  lesson  in  politeness 
thou  wilt  not  easily  forget.  Lies  and  insults  may  fall 
from  thy  lips,  but  they  neither  injure  nor  distress  the 
daughter  of  thy  Master,  'Othman." 

"  Silence,  woman  !  "  he  cried  fiercely,  shaking  his 
fat  fist  in  the  face  of  the  trembling,  indignant  girl,  and 
showing  his  white  teeth.  "  Thinkest  thou  that  thou 
canst  save  a  man  whom  thou  bringest  unto  thine  apart- 
ment in  secrecy,  dressed  in  woman's  garments?" 

"  If  thou  darest  remove  him  hence  I  will  appeal  in 
person  unto  my  father." 

"  Already  his  Majesty  hath  full  knowledge  of  this 
affair,"  the  great  negro  eunuch  answered,  treating  her 
threat  with  calm  indifference.  "  By  his  order  a  watch 
hath  been  placed  upon  thee.  We  saw  the  accursed  son 
of  offal  caress  and  kiss  thee." 

"  May  Allah  cut  out  thy  heart  !  Am  I  a  slave,  that 
spies  should  be  set  to  report  upon  my  doings  ?  "  she 
asked,  her  eyes  flashing  with  indignation.  Then,  turn- 
ing to  the  negroes  who  held  me  in  iron  grip,  she  said, 
"  I,  Azala  Fathma,  Princess  of  Sokoto,  order  ye  to 
release  him." 


42  CUe  ££e  of  Istar. 

"  And  I,  Khazneh,  Aga  of  the  Eunuchs,  order  ye  to 
remove  him  hence.  He  is  a  Dervish  from  Omdurman, 
a  traitor,  and  an  enemy  of  thy  Sultan.  Away  with 
him  ! "  cried  the  black-faced  man  with  big,  blood-shot 
eyes.  His  gaze  was  ever  on  Azala,  unless  it  were  fixed 
on  me  with  a  sullen  gleam  of  hate. 

But  she  rushed  across  to  the  heavy  silken  curtain  that 
hitl  the  secret  door,  and,  standing  boldly  before  it,  up- 
lifted her  long,  white  arm,  and  pointing  to  the  tower- 
ing eunuch,  cried, — 

"  Zafar-Ben-A'Ziz,  whom  I  have  long  known  by 
report,  is  not  an  enemy,  but  a  firm  friend  of  his  Majesty, 
whose  despicable  slave  thou  art.  Therefore  I  forbid 
thee  to  lay  hands  upon  him.  Even  though  thou  findest 
him  here  in  the  place  forbidden  ;  nevertheless,  I,  as 
Princess  of  Sokoto,  claim  for  him  the  protection  of  the 
Sultan." 

In  silence,  unable  to  extricate  myself,  I  stood  while 
my  fate  was  thus  discussed.  A  spasm  wrenched  my 
soul — one  of  those  agonies  which  leave  their  trace, 
mental  or  physical,  forever. 

"^Knowest  thou  not  the  punishment  meted  out  to 
those  who  dare  to  pass  the  Janissaries  and  tread  the 
sacred  courts  of  the  harem  ? "  asked  the  Aga,  impa- 
tiently. 

"The  punishment  is  death,"  she  answered.  Her 
thin  nostrils  palpitated.  She  crushed  her  finger-nails 
against  the  jewels  on  her  bosom.  "  But  if  Zafar,  my 
friend,  suffereth  the  penalty,  I  warn  thee  that  thine 
head  shall  be  struck  off  and  thy  body  be  given  to  the 
dogs  as  offal  before  the  going  down  of  the  sun." 

"  Be  it  so,"  laughed  the  hulking  brute,  insolently, 
his  fingers  playing  with  the  long,  \iQtnjambiyah  in  his 
belt.  Then,  turning  to  my  captors,  he  said,  "  Come, 
away  with  him  quickly." 


asiacft  Eunucb.  43 

Next  second  the  hangings  were  raised,  disclosing 
an  open  door,  through  which  I  was  unceremoniously 
hurried,  and  as  I  was  dragged  out  into  the  dark,  inter- 
mural  passage,  I  heard  the  Aga  of  the  Eunuchs  exclaim 
tauntingly, — 

"  Seek  his  Majesty  if  thou  wilt,  but  I  may  tell  thee 
that  he  set  out  for  Katsena  at  sunrise,  and  ere  his  re- 
turn thy  lover's  bones  will  lie  bleaching  in  the  sun." 

"  Farewell,  Azala,"  I  shouted.  "  Be  thou  of  good 
cheer.  Remember  that  in  my  heart  the  tree  of  affec- 
tion hath  struck  root.  I  am  thy  friend  always— always 
— even  though  our  enemies  may  thus  part  us." 

"  We  will  never  part,"  she  cried,  rushing  across  to 
me  ;  but  the  Aga,  catching  her  roughly  by  the  arm, 
dragged  her  away  by  sheer  brute  force. 

"  Whither  he  goeth  there  also  will  I  go,"  she  gasped, 
struggling  to  elude  his  grasp,  overturning  one  of  the 
little  mother-of-pearl  coffee  stools  in  her  frantic  efforts 
to  reach  and  embrace  me. 

"  Tarry  no  longer,"  cried  Khazneh,  in  anger,  ad- 
dressing my  captors.  "  Let  the  Sultan's  will  be 
obeyed." 

"  Farewell,  Azala  !  Farewell,"  I  cried,  paralyzed  with 
fury  as  I  saw  her  bow  her  head  upon  her  arms  and  weep. 

But  she  answered  not,  for,  as  I  was  dragged  fiercely 
from  her  sight,  I  saw  her  struggling  with  the  chief 
eunuch,  endeavoring  to  follow  us.  With  brutal  disre- 
gard of  her  sex,  the  big,  gaudily-attired  brute  had 
seized  her  by  the  throat.  Her  dress  was  torn,  her  hair 
dishevelled,  and  her  jewels  lay  scattered  and  trodden 
under  foot.  Suddenly  a  scream  sounded,  dull  and 
muffled,  and,  just  as  I  was  dragged  away  into  the  dark 
passage,  I  witnessed  the  woman  who  had  entranced 
me  hurled  backward.  I  saw  her  reel,  stagger,  and  fall 
senseless  upon  her  divan. 


44  Gbe  J6ge  of  Ustat. 

The  grinning  negroes  who  held  me  laughed  aloud, 
and  hurried  me  along  the  short,  close  passage,  and 
down  flight  after  flight  of  broken,  time-worn  steps, 
while  Khazneh,  closing  the  small,  heavy  door,  barred 
and  bolted  it  securely.  Then  he  followed  us,  biting  his 
finger-nails  in  deep  thought.  Whither  they  were  con- 
ducting me  I  knew  not,  neither  did  I  care.  Azala  and 
I  had,  by  the  treachery  of  some  unknown  slave,  been 
torn  asunder,  perhaps  never  again  to  meet.  Only 
death  would,  I  knew,  expiate  the  crime  of  being  found 
in  disguise  in  the  Sultan's  harem,  and  towards  the 
bourne  whence  none  return  was  I  being  conveyed. 

My  anticipations  of  immediate  death  were  not,  how- 
ever, realized.  Deep  down  into  the  foundations  of  the 
ancient  palace  the  eunuchs  conducted  me,  along  a 
labyrinth  of  gloomy  passages  that  showed  the  great 
extent  of  the  Fada,  until  we  came  to  a  long,  subter- 
ranean corridor  where,  on  entering,  I  saw,  behind  iron 
bars,  the  lean,  emaciated  figure  of  a  man,  haggard,  un- 
kempt, with  the  gleam  of  madness  in  his  eyes.  Shak- 
ing the  bars  wildly  with  the  strength  of  a  wild  beast, 
he  cried  as  we  passed, — 

"  Strangers  !  Have  compassion.  Have  pity.  In 
the  name  of  Allah,  who  both  heareth  and  knoweth,  re- 
move these  fetters  which  for  fourteen  long  years  have 
held  me  captive." 

" Netalaibukl"  (Curse  thy  father)  growled  Khazneh, 
lifting  his  trailing  scimitar  in  its  scabbard  and  striking 
the  wretched  prisoner  a  heavy  blow  as  he  passed.  But 
the  man  tearing  at  the  bars  shrieked  and  howled  in  his 
madness, — 

"  May  the  venom  of  vipers  consume  thy  vitals,  and 
may  the  kisses  of  thy  women  poison  thee,  thou  black- 
faced  son  of  offal  !  I  recognize  thee,  thou  fiend. 
Thou  art  the  Aga  of  the  Eunuchs  ;  the  incarnation  of 


Cbe  $lacfc  Eunucb.  45 

Eblis  himself.  May  thy  body  be  cast  upon  a  dungheap 
and  thy  soul  be  delivered  unto  the  tortures  of  Al- 
Hawiyat !  " 

Leaving  the  wretched  man  hurling  his  horrible  im- 
precations, we  passed  onward  along  the  dark  corridor 
of  filthy  dens,  each  protected  with  strong  bars  of  iron, 
several  being  occupied  by  men,  lean,  wild-haired  and 
half-clad,  who  looked  more  like  animals  than  human 
beings  crouching  on  their  heaps  of  dirty,  mouldy  straw. 
No  sunlight  ever  penetrated  there,  and  the  only  air  or 
light  admitted  entered  between  the  crevices  of  the 
massive  paving  stones  of  the  court  above.  The  walls 
of  this  Dantean  dungeon  were  black  with  damp  and 
age,  the  floor  was  encrusted  with  all  kinds  of  filth,  and 
the  air  was  hot,  foetid,  and  so  overpowering  that  Khaz- 
neh  himself  was  compelled  to  take  the  corner  of  his 
silken  robe  and  hold  it  to  his  nostrils. 

At  length,  however,  on  arrival  at  the  further  end  of 
the  passage,  a  small  door  with  an  iron  grating  swung 
open  and  I  was  thrust  in  and  there  left,  the  door  being 
immediately  closed  and  secured.  In  the  almost  im- 
penetrable darkness  I  could  distinguish  nothing,  but 
when  I  heard  the  footsteps  of  my  captors  receding,  my 
heart  sank  within  me.  Noises  sounded  weirdly  in  the 
cavernous  blackness  ;  the  groans,  curses  and  prayers  of 
my  fellow-prisoners.  Who  were  these  emaciated,  half- 
starved  wretches  ?  What,  I  wondered,  had  been  their 
crimes  ? 


46  Gbe  JEise  of  I0tat. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

RAGE    AND    REMORSE. 

WITH  my  feet  upon  the  heap  of  dirty,  evil-smelling 
straw,  I  stood  hesitating  how  to  act.  Of  the  size  or 
character  of  my  cell  I  knew  nothing  ;  therefore,  after 
reviewing  the  situation  as  calmly  as  I  could,  I  started 
to  feel  the  walls  and  ascertain  their  exact  proportions. 
The  place,  I  found,  was  small,  horribly  small.  Its 
height  was  only  just  sufficient  to  allow  me  to  stand 
upright,  while  it  was  not  long  enough  to  allow  me  to 
lie  down  except  in  a  crouching,  uncomfortable  posi- 
tion, its  breadth  being  just  two  paces. 

When,  after  making  myself  acquainted  with  these 
details,  I  stood  reflecting  upon  my  position,  I  heard  a 
slight  movement  in  the  straw  at  my  feet,  and  as  I  bent 
to  ascertain  the  cause  my  hand  came  into  contact  with 
the  chill,  smooth  body  of  a  large  snake  which  I  had 
evidently  disturbed. 

Its  contact  thrilled  me.  I  drew  my  hand  away  in 
horror,  springing  back  towards  the  wall,  expecting 
each  moment  to  feel  my  leg  bitten.  Straining  my  eyes 
into  the  darkness  I  did  my  utmost  to  discover  the 
whereabouts  of  the  reptile,  believing  that  if  it  had  its 
bead-like  eyes  fixed  upon  me  I  could  detect  their 
brightness.  But  though  I  heard  a  slow  rustling  among 
the  straw,  my  enemy  seemed  in  no  mood  for  attack, 
and  I  waited  motionless,  not  daring  to  stir.  To  be 
doomed  to  live  and  sleep  in  company  of  a  snake  was 
certainly  one  of  the  most  hideous  tortures  to  which  a 
man  could  be  subjected,  and  was  a  refinement  of 
cruelty  equal  to  any  of  the  revolting  barbarities  I  had 
witnessed  while  serving  under  the  standards  of  the 


•Rage  and  "Remorse.  47 

Mahdi  and  the  Khalifa.  But  the  hours  dragged  on, 
and  although  my  fellow  occupant  of  the  cell  remained 
silent,  apparently  content,  the  dungeon  itself  was 
weirdly  horrible.  The  cries  of  my  fellow  captives, 
some  of  whom  were  perfectly  sane  and  others  palpably 
mad  from  torture  and  long  confinement,  resounded 
through  the  place  with  startling  suddenness,  and  I 
could  hear  those  whose  minds  were  unhinged  gnashing 
their  teeth  and  beating  their  bars  in  vain,  frantic  effort 
to  obtain  release. 

With  these  horrors  about  me,  the  whole  of  my  past 
seemed  to  flit  through  my  mind — a  panorama  of  wild 
free  life  and  exciting  adventure.  My  sudden  uncon- 
sciousness after  my  fall  at  the  well  of  Sabo-n-Gari,  my 
strange  awakening,  and  the  vision  of  incomparable 
beauty  that  had  risen  before  my  wondering,  fevered 
eyes,  all  recurred  to  me  in  hazy  indistinctness,  like 
some  weird,  half-remembered  dream.  But  the  pale, 
anxious  face  of  Azala,  who  had  fought  so  hard  to  save 
me  falling  into  the  merciless  clutches  of  my  pitiless 
captors,  came  before  me — vivid,  distinct,  entrancing. 
Her  every  feature  was  engraven  indelibly  upon  my 
memory,  and  her  voice  seemed  to  repeat  in  soft,  musical 
Arabic  those  strange,  mysterious  words  that  had 
thrilled  and  entranced  me. 

She  trusted  me,  she  had  said.  Would  she,  I  won- 
dered, be  successful  in  releasing  me  from  this  horribly 
maddening  captivity  ?  That  she  would  use  every 
endeavor  of  which  she  was  capable  I  was  confident ; 
nevertheless,  I  knew,  well  the  enormity  of  my  crime, 
and  feared  that  even  her  earnest  words  would  not  soften 
the  flint  heart  of  the  relentless  Sultan  'Othman,  whose 
every  whim  was  law  within  his  own  extensive  kingdom. 

Well  I  knew  the  manner  of  living  of  this  dreaded 
ruler  of  the  Western  Soudan.  He  formed  the  etiquette 


48  Gbe  Bge  of 

of  his  brilliant  court  upon  that  of  the  Khalifa's,  keep- 
ing himself  strictly  invisible  to  the  vulgar  gaze.  He 
seldom  exposed  himself  to  perish  of  the  evil  eye.  It 
was  he  who  compelled  the  women  throughout  his  em- 
pire to  lead  the  life  of  the  Eastern  harem,  and  forbade 
that  any  (married  or  single)  should  show  themselves 
unveiled,  making  his  own  family  set  the  example. 
People  approaching  the  Sultan  in  audience  covered 
their  heads  with  dust  :  he  never  spoke  directly  to  as- 
semblies nor  to  the  people,  but  always  dealt  with  them 
through  the  medium  of  a  herald.  Upon  the  occasions 
of  his  going  out,  his  cortfge  was  preceded  by  musicians, 
drums,  and  trumpets,  and  he  rode  in  solitary  state, 
with  his  suite  at  a  respectable  distance  behind.  Ser- 
vants marched  surrounding  his  horse,  and  holding  by 
turns  to  his  saddle  ;  they  were  called  foot  companions, 
and  their  head-man  was  the  "  master  of  the  road." 
Only  one  drum  was  allowed  to  precede  them,  and  mu- 
sicians kept  silent  when  in  sight  of  a  town  in  which 
the  Sultan  was  residing. 

She  had  spoken  of  strange  marvels,  of  hidden  mys- 
teries that  require  elucidation,  of  perils,  and  of  her  own 
misery.  Why  had  unhappiness  consumed  her  ?  Why,  in- 
deed, had  she  concealed  so  much  from  me  ?  For  hours 
I  pondered  over  the  veiled  words  she  had  uttered, 
seeking  in  them  some  explanation,  but  finding  none. 

Then  I  remembered  the  hideous  blemish  upon  her 
fair  breast — that  mystic  mark  exactly  identical  with 
mine.  What,  I  wondered,  could  these  entwined  asps 
denote  ?  The  words  of  my  dead  mother  rang  in  my 
ears  :  "  Seek  not  to  discover  its  significance  until  thou 
meetest  with  its  exact  counterpart.  Then  strive  night 
and  day  to  learn  the  truth,  for,  if  thou  canst  elucidate 
the  mystery,  thine  ears  will  listen  unto  strange  things, 
*nd  thine  eyes  behold  wondrous  marvels." 


IRage  and  IRemorse,  49 

Upon  the  breast  of  Azala,  the  Princess,  I  had  dis- 
covered that  which  I  had  sought  throughout  my  event- 
ful life,  yet  even  in  that  moment  evil  fortune  had 
befallen  me,  and  now,  instead  of  being  free  to  strive 
towards  solving  the  enigma,  I  was  held  captive  in  that 
dismal,  evil-smelling  dungeon,  under  sentence  of  death. 

Days  dragged  by — dull,  dismal,  dispiriting.  Suffer- 
ing the  anguish  of  separation  and  lost  happiness,  my 
whole  life  seemed  wounded.  In  the  dark,  damp  cell, 
surrounded  by  a  thousand  horrors,  oppressed  by  a  thou- 
sand vague  regrets  and  bitter  thoughts,  I  awaited  the 
end.  Indeed,  'as  the  long  hours  slowly  passed,  it  sur- 
prised me  that  my  captors  did  not  drag  me  forth  to 
die.  Once  a  day  three  negro  guards,  heavily  armed, 
appeared  and  cast  to  us  a  little  dodowa,  or  kind  of  cake 
made  of  vegetables,  with  as  little  ceremony  as  if  they 
were  giving  food  to  dogs,  while  a  slave  filled  our  earthen 
vessel  with  water  ;  but  we  had  no  exercise,  and  were 
compelled  to  remain  behind  our  bars  like  animals  en- 
trapped. 

My  cell  had  been  occupied  quite  recently  by  some 
poor  wretch,  who,  according  to  the  story  of  a  half' 
starved  Arab  in  captivity  near  me,  had  died  of  fever 
only  a  few  days  before  my  arrival,  and  with  whom  the 
serpent  who  made  his  abode  there  had  apparently  been 
on  friendly  terms.  At  first  both  the  reptile  and  myself 
were  consumed  by  a  mutual  fear  of  one  another,  but  on 
close  acquaintanceship  he  grew  to  regard  me  as  harm- 
less, and  really  performed  me  a  service  by  clearing  the 
mice  and  other  vermin  from  my  narrow,  suffocating 
den.  , 

Once  a  loud,  piercing  shriek  escaped  one  of  my  half- 
demented  fellow  captives,  who  declared  he  had  been 
bitten  by  a  scorpion,  and,  to  my  dismay,  the  same  rep- 
tile found  its  way  through  the  bars  of  my  cell  some 


so  Gbe  JE^e  of  flstar. 

hours  later,  but  fortunately  I  detected  it  in  time,  driv- 
ing it  out  before  it  could  attack  me.  Hour  by  hour, 
day  by  day,  I  crouched,  disconsolate  and  despairing,  in 
the  almost  impenetrable  gloom.  Accustomed  as  I  was 
to  the  wild  life  of  the  plains,  confinement  amid  such 
loathsome  surroundings  was  doubly  irksome  and  nau- 
seating. 

In  that  Stygian  darkness  day  was  like  night,  and  I 
could  keep  no  count  of  time  ;  but  with  the  harsh  gib- 
berings  of  idiots  always  grating  on  my  ears,  I  grew 
apprehensive  that  ere  long  I,  too,  must  become  de- 
mented. My  respite  from  death  I  attributed  to  the 
intervention  of  the  fair  woman  whose  wondrous  beauty 
had  enmeshed  me,  and  whose  words  of  mystery  had 
aroused  in  me  an  intense,  unconquerable  desire  to  solve 
the  one  great  enigma  of  my  life. 

Yet  as  time  went  on  and  relief  came  not,  I  began  to 
fear  that  the  eunuch  had  spoken  the  truth  when  he  in- 
formed Azala  of  the  Sultan's  absence,  and  that,  fearing 
to  order  me  to  execution,  Khazneh  had  resolved  that  I 
should  be  driven  to  madness  in  that  foul,  foetid  dun- 
geon, where  so  many  captives  had  pined  and  died. 
Many  times  I  had  heard  how  the  great  Sultan  'Othman 
was  ruled  almost  entirely  by  harem  influence  ;  how  the 
bright-eyed,  imperious  Sultana  of  to-day  might  be  a 
mangled  corpse  torn  to  pieces  by  the  yelping  jackals  at 
the  city-gate  to-morrow  ;  how  a  single  word  whispered 
by  a  dark-haired  houri  into  the  ear  of  her  lord  might 
eithe'r  cause  a  courtier's  head  to  fall,  or  secure  for 
some  menial  an  exalted  office  of  power,  with  many 
slaves  and  fat  emoluments.  Indeed,  it  was  notorious 
throughout  the  Soudan  that  in  the  great  Fada  of  the 
Sultan  of  Sokoto  none  was  safe.  Wives,  courtiers, 
guards,  eunuchs,  slaves,  all  trembled,  fearing  to  arouse 
the  anger  of  the  brutal  autocrat,  for  well  were  they 


IRage  and  IRemorse.  51 

aware  that  the  keen  doka  of  the  black  executioner  was 
kept  ever  busy,  and  none  knew  whose  head  next  might 
fall.  Black  plots  and  dastardly  intrigues  were  con- 
stantly at  work  within  the  great  Courts  of  the  Harem. 
The  favorite,  one  day  loaded  with  costly  jewels,  bask- 
ing in  the  smiles  of  her  august  master,  radiant  upon 
her  divan  and  ruler  of  the  gilded  Courts  of  Enchant- 
ment, would  assuredly  sooner  or  later  fall  a  victim  to 
the  jealousy  of  her  less  fortunate  sisters,  and  be  com- 
pelled to  wash  the  feet  of  the  bright-eyed  slave  her 
whilom  handmaiden,  become  the  wife  of  some  common 
soldier,  or  drink  the  fatal  draught  from  the  golden  Cup 
of  Death. 

Yet  amid  such  surroundings,  continually  witnessing 
the  complicated  plots  and  counter-plots  engendered 
by  the  fiercest  feminine  hatred,  with  unceremonious 
strangling,  poisoning  or  decapitation  as  the  inevitable 
result,  lived  Azala,  pure  as  the  jasmine-flower,  bright 
as  the  sunrise  on  the  Great  Desert,  graceful  as  the 
rose  bending  beneath  the  evening  zephyr,  a  maiden  of 
absolutely  incomparable  countenance  and  entrancing 
loveliness. 

For  nearly  a  whole  moon  had  I  remained  in  my  foul, 
dank  kennel,  when  one  morning  four  gaudily-attired 
Janissaries  released  me,  and,  without  deigning  to  reply 
to  my  eager  questions,  conducted  me  out  of  the 
dungeon  and  up  the  worn  and  broken  flight  of  stairs 
to  the  blessed  light  of  day.  So  long  had  I  been  in 
darkness  that  the  sun's  glare  blinded  me,  and  keenly 
apprehensive  that  Azala's  efforts  had  been  unavailing, 
and  that  I  was  at  last  being  led  to  execution,  I  walked 
on  between  my  guards,  inert,  dejected  and  despairing. 

A  dozen  Janissaries,  each  armed  with  gleaming 
scimitar  and  jambiyah,  joined  us,  as  across  one  great 
open  courtyard  after  another  was  I  conducted  in  pro- 


52  ttbe  T&ve  ot  Istar. 

cession  solemn  and  funereal.  The  magnitude  and 
magnificence  of  those  squares,  with  great  plashing 
fountains,  tall  palms  and  colonnades  of  dead-white 
horse-shoe  arches,  astounded  me.  Evidently  they  were 
the  outer  courts  of  the  palace,  for  at  each  gate  there 
stood  Janissaries  in  uniforms  of  blue  and  gold,  with 
drawn  swords,  erect,  silent,  statuesque.  Leaving  the 
Courts  of  Love,  the  innermost  centre  of  the  great 
Fada,  we  crossed  the  Court  of  the  Grand  Vizier,  the 
Court  of  the  Gado  (Lord  of  the  Treasury),  the  Court 
of  the  Eunuchs,  the  Court  of  the  Janissaries,  the  Court 
of  the  Armorers  and  many  others,  each  larger  and 
more  massive  in  construction,  until  at  length  we  came 
to  the  great,  arched  outer  gate,  the  only  entrance  to 
this  sumptuous  and  gigantic  dwelling-place  of  one  of 
the  most  powerful  potentates  of  Al-Islam.  Here  my 
heart  sank  within  me,  for  awaiting  us  was  the  execu- 
tioner, a  big,  brutal  negro,  who  carried  over  his 
shoulder  his  great  doka,  or  keen,  curved  sword,  that 
had  smote  off  so  many  heads  of  men  and  women. 

Instinctively  I  knew  my  fate.  I  was  being  conducted 
to  the  Kaboga,  or  place  of  execution,  there  to  die. 

As  we  approached,  the  ponderous  gate  opened  and 
with  a  loud  blast  from  a  dozen  blatant  wind  instru- 
ments of  curious  shape  there  entered  a  man  attired  in 
white,  sitting  erect  on  a  richly-caparisoned,  coal-black 
Arab  horse,  and  followed  by  a  crowd  of  mounted 
attendants  and  guards  on  foot. 

"  May  Allah,  the  One  Granter  of  ^Requests,  envelop 
our  lord  the  Sultan  with  the  Cloak  of  Peace,"  cried  the 
guards,  lifting  their  bass  voices  with  one  accord, 
salaaming  before  the  sharp-eyed  man,  whose  black 
beard  was  well  trimmed,  and  in  whose  crimson  turban 
gleamed  a  magnificent  aigrette  of  diamonds. 

Three  loud  blasts  and  the  roll  of  a  drum  announced 


IRage  anO  IRemorsc.  53 

the  return  of  the  Sultan  'Othman.  Each  time  slaves 
and  guards  bent  low  with  reverent  genuflexions,  and 
each  time  they  lifted  aloud  their  voices  in  praise  of 
his  Imperial  Majesty. 

As,  tongue-tied  in  amazement,  I  gazed  upon  the 
brilliant  cavalcade  of  the  powerful  autocrat  whose 
fame  had  been  carried  over  the  boundless  deserts  even 
to  Omdurman,  his  keen  glance  fell  upon  me.  Upon 
his  dark,  sensual  face,  in  which  cruelty  was  strongly 
marked,  there  rested  for  a  second  a  shadow  of 
displeasure,  then  reining  his  horse  close  to  me  his 
searching  eyes  wandered  to  the  executioner  and  the 
Janissaries.  Scarcely  had  I  sufficient  clothes  to  cover 
me,  and  what  I  wore  were  ragged  and  dirty,  yet  with 
the  pride  of  my  race  I  drew  myself  up,  facing  him 
boldly. 

In  deep,  stern  tones  he  demanded  of  his  Grand 
Vizier  beside  him,  whose  name  was  Mahaza,  son  of 
Alhan,  the  nature  of  the  crime  for  which  I  was  to  suffer. 

"  During  thine  absence,  O  Mirror  of  Virtue,  yonder 
spy,  an  accursed  Dervish  from  Omdurman,  hath  been 
discovered  by  Khazneh,  Aga  of  the  women,  attired  in 
a  woman's  haick,  concealed  within  thy  Courts  of 
Enchantment." 

"  In  my  harem  ? "  exclaimed  the  Sultan,  whose 
angry  eyes  flashed  in  my  direction.  "  By  what  means 
did  the  dog  obtain  admission  ?  " 

"  I  know  not,  O  Branch  of  Honor,"  answered  the 
Grand  Vizier,  but  at  that  moment  Khazneh,  in  robes  of 
bright  yellow  silk,  pushed  forward,  and  making  a  deep 
obeisance,  exclaimed, — 

"  Give  leave  unto  thy  servant  to  speak,  O  lord,  our 
Sultan.  I  found  the  Dervish  spy  concealed  within  the 
pavilion  of  thy  daughter  Azala." 

The  Sultan  'Othman  glared  at  me  with  brows  con- 


54  Gbe  Bse  of  Tlstar. 

tracted,  and  uttered  a  fierce  and  terrible  curse  upon  his 
enemy  the  Khalifa.  His  soul  in  an  instant  filled  with 
bitterest  rage  and  hate. 

"  How  earnest  thou,  son  of  sebel,  to  pass  the  guards 
of  mine  innermost  court?"  he  demanded,  in  wrathful 
tones  that  caused  all  to  tremble. 

"  I,  an  Arab  of  the  North,  was  wounded  in  battle,  and 
thy  daughter,  upon  whom  may  the  blessing  of  the  One 
Bountiful  rest,  gave  unto  me  succor.  If  thou  sparest 
me " 

"  Silence,  dog  !  "  he  roared  ;  then,  with  a  gesture  of 
impatience,  turned  to  his  councillor,  saying, — 

"  Let  the  spy's  head  be  struck  off  and  placed  upon 
the  palace  gate  as  a  warning." 

The  eyes  of  my  guards,  on  hearing  this,  brightened, 
and  they  cried  :  "  Thy  will,  O  Mighty  Ruler,  is  our 
command,"  and  those  holding  me  pushed  me  forward  so 
roughly  that  my  ragged  jibbeh  was  torn  from  the  neck 
to  the  waist,  displaying  my  chest.  ' 

The  Sultan,  with  a  parting  injunction  to  my  captors 
to  place  my  head  upon  the  gate  and  to  announce 
throughout  the  city  that  a  spy  of  the  Khalifa  had  been 
captured  and  executed,  was  about  to  ride  away  when 
suddenly  I  noticed  that  he  again  fixed  his  gaze  full 
upon  me  and  sat  for  a  few  seconds  perplexed  and 
thoughtful. 

"  Bring  hither  thy  prisoner.  Let  him  approach  me 
closely,"  he  shouted  to  the  Janissaries,  who  were  at 
that  moment  hurrying  me  away. 

Amazed  at  the  Sultan's  sudden  change  of  manner, 
the  Aga  of  the  Eunuchs  and  his  menials  dragged  me 
back  before  their  ruler,  who,  with  his  startled  eyes  fixed 
upon  my  uncovered  breast,  asked  in  a  tone  of  awe, — 

"  Speak,  slave  !  How  earnest  thou  by  that  mystic 
mark  of  the  serpents  ?  " 


IRage  anD  Remorse.  55 

His  anger  had  instantly  cooled.  He  had  detected 
the  strange  red  scar,  and  for  him  it  evidently  had  some 
serious  significance,  for  he  had  grown  pale  under  his 
manly  bronze,  and  the  bejewelled  hand  that  held  the 
reins  trembled  slightly. 

"  Of  its  origin  I  have  no  knowledge,"  I  answered, 
glancing  quickly  round  and  noticing  the  effect  produced 
by  the  monarch's  sudden  change  of  manner. 

"  Whence  comest  thou  ?  "  he  asked,  with  eagerness 
unusual  to  an  autocrat. 

"  From  Omdurman.  I  am  of  the  Ansar  of  the 
Khalifa." 

"  And  thy  parentage  ?  " 

"  I  was  born  in  the  Mountains  of  Aures,  two  days' 
journey  from  Batna.  My  father  was  the  Hadj  Yakub 
Sarraf." 

"  Yukub  Sarraf,  the  Kaid  of  El-Manaa?"  he  inquired 
quickly,  his  sinister  face  betraying  an  expression  of 
combined  surprise  and  fear. 

"  Even  so,  O  Sultan." 

The  excess  of  his  rage  was  only  equalled  by  the 
promptness  of  his  remorse. 

Bending  in  his  saddle  for  a  moment,  he  examined 
closely  the  puzzling  mark  upon  me,  and  then,  after  a 
few  moments'  silence,  he  turned  to  Khazneh,  who  had 
been  standing  aghast  and  amazed,  and  said, — 

"  Let  the  spy's  life  be  spared,  but  let  him  be  expelled 
from  our  midst.  If  thou  findest  him  within  the  con- 
fines of  our  empire  after  three  suns  have  set,  then  let 
him  die.  Mount  him  upon  the  swiftest  meheri,  and  let 
twenty  guards  similarly  mounted  journey  with  him 
until  he  hath  passed  beyond  the  boundary  of  Sokoto. 
I  have  ordained  it.  Let  it  be  done  accordingly." 

Turning  to  me  he  said  :  "  If  thou  ridest  on  the  wings 
of  haste  thy  life  shall  be  spared  ;  but  enter  not  again 


56  tCbe  Ege  of  Ustar. 


into  this  my  kingdom,  or  of  a  verity  thine  head  shall 
fall."  And  as  he  turned  to  ride  forward,  he  added,  in  a 
harsh,  strained  voice  that  became  softened  towards  me  : 
"  Go,  leave  my  rose  garden  of  happiness  quickly.  Go, 
and  may  the  peace  of  Allah,  the  Omniscient,  rest  upon 
thee  in  the  hour  of  thine  adversity." 

The  all-powerful  Sultan,  with  face  pale  and  agitated, 
moved  slowly  onward  across  the  great  court  with  bowed 
head,  followed  by  his  wondering  councillors  and  cring- 
ing slaves.  Next  second  I  was  free. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE     WHITE     CITY. 

ALL  sounds  had  gradually  died  away  in  the  town. 
A  marabout  had  climbed  to  the  terrace  of  the  great 
mosque  and  was  crying  "  Allah  is  great !  Allah  is 
great !  "  The  surrounding  terraces  were  peopled  with 
white  forms  which  stood  out  against  the  summits  of  the 
palm-trees  and  the  green  of  the  baobab.  Their  backs 
were  turned  to  the  purple  splendors  of  the  dying  light, 
for  their  faces  looked  towards  the  already  darkened  east, 
lighted  for  them  by  that  eternal  light  in  which  Mecca 
is  to  be  found.  The  silence  was  harshly  broken  by  a 
brazen  sound.  It  was  the  tamtams  in  the  Kasbah 
sounding  the  call  for  prayer. 

The  plain  was  now  a  vast  desert  phantasmagorically 
illuminated.  Above,  the  sky  flamed  into  every  imagin- 
able color,  and  the  small  water-channel,  scarcely  visi- 
ble a  moment  before,  blazed  into  a  reflection  of  the 
ardor  of  the  sky,  while  the  rows  of  ospreys  on  its  banks 
looked  like  necklaces  of  pink  pearls.  Then  all  the 


mbite  Ctt£.  57 

enchantment  was  overwhelmed  by  the  sudden  twilight 
that  heralds  the  tropical  night. 

Well  mounted  on  a  swift  camel,  with  water-skin  and 
provision-bag  filled,  and  escorted  by  my  guards,  I  had 
ridden  through  the  crowded  markets,  and  passing  out 
of  the  Kofa-n-Magaidi,  or  eastern  gate,  set  forth  across 
the  wide,  sandy  plain  in  the  direction  of  prayer.  The 
brief  glimpse  I  caught  of  the  place  as  I  passed  hur- 
riedly through  its  streets  surprised  me.  The  inhabit- 
ants seemed  to  some  extent  a  cultured  people,  and  the 
women  apparently  enjoyed  considerable  personal  free- 
dom, although  the  majority  were  veiled.  The  men, 
despite  their  bellicose  spirit  and  the  chronic  state  of 
warfare  maintained,  were  not  naturally  cruel,  and 
treated  their  slaves  kindly. 

The  towers,  cupolas  and  high  white  walls  of  the  great, 
impregnable  palace,  wherein  dwelt  the  woman  who  had 
enchanted  me,  stood  dark  and  frowning  against  the 
crimson  brilliance  of  the  after-glow,  and  from  my 
exalted  position  on  the  back  of  my  meheri  I  turned  once 
to  glance  at  them,  wondering  if  Azala  knew  of  my 
expulsion.  Perhaps  from  her  lattice  in  the  great  square 
tower  rising  above  the  city  she  was  watching  my  de- 
parture, but  she  had  given  no  sign,  and  sorrowfully  I 
at  length  turned  my  back  upon  the  White  City  of  the 
Sultan  'Othman,  and  urged  my  camel  onward  towards 
the  horizon,  which  seemed  a  sea  of  mirage,  with  a  feel- 
ing that  Fate  had,  indeed,  laid  her  hand  upon  me  with 
undeserved  harshness. 

In  the  cooler  hours  that  succeeded,  when  the  light 
had  entirely  faded,  and  the  wind,  whirling  up  clouds  of 
find  sand  into  our  faces,  compelled  us  to  cover  them  as 
we  rode  on,  leaving  only  our  eyes  visible,  Shu'ba,  the 
chief  of  the  black  horsemen  accompanying  me,  declared 
that  if  we  were  to  reach  Kukawa,  in  Bornu,  within 


58  Gbe  Eve  of  Ifstar. 

three  days,  we  should  be  compelled  to  press  forward 
constantly,  resting  but  a  few  hours  during  the  heat  of 
noon.  My  guards  were  heavily  armed,  each  carrying 
a  very  keen,  straight  sword,  a  dagger  suspended  from 
the  left  wrist,  and  a  spear  six  feet  long,  while  with  several 
this  arsenal  was  also  supplemented  by  a  rifle.  Acting  no 
doubt  under  the  Sultan's  orders,  they  treated  me  with 
every  consideration,  and  proved  themselves  light- 
hearted,  genial  fellows  ;  yet  the  long  ride  through  the 
great,  silent  wilderness,  eternally  warm,  eternally 
gloomy,  gave  me  many  opportunities  for  dismal  reflec- 
tions upon  the  strange  turn  events  had  taken.  Azala  had 
fascinated,  entranced  me,  and  I  loved  her  with  all  the 
strength  of  my  being.  Yet  I  had  been  thus  forcibly 
torn  from  her,  never  to  return  on  penalty  of  death. 
Each  long  stride  of  the  animal  beneath  me  took  me  fur- 
ther from  her,  yet  she  trusted  in  me  to  save  her.  From 
the  words  uttered  by  Khazneh  in  reply  to  the  Sultan,  it 
was  evident  that  the  latter  had  had  no  knowledge  of 
my  capture  and  imprisonment,  and  Azala  had,  on  ac- 
count of  her  father's  absence,  been  unable  to  secure 
my  release. 

The  mysterious  symbol  that  seemed  to  link  me  in 
some  inexplicable  manner  to  the  woman  I  loved  had 
apparently  produced  in  the  Sultan  a  feeling  of  dismay, 
for  when  he  noticed  it  a  sudden  terror  had  enthralled 
him.  Awe-stricken  at  its  significance,  he  had  instantly 
rescinded  the  order  for  my  execution,  sending  me  forth 
from  his  empire  as  if  apprehensive  that  my  presence 
was  a  harbinger  of  some  dreaded  evil. 

For  a  brief  space  we  halted  in  the  date-grove  of 
Maifoura  at  midnight,  eating  a  little  tiggra  with  curdled 
milk  diluted  with  water,  and  some  ngaji  or  paste  of 
sorghum,  and  having  thus  recruited  our  strength  the  cry 
of  "  Ala  e'dhahar !  ala  edhahar!"  (Mount!  mount!) 


Sbe  TlWbite  Citg.  59 

sounded,  and  we  resumed  our  ride  over  the  low  hills 
of   Kobiri,  and    through    the  great,  gloomy  forest   of 
Gounel.     South  of  the  Lake  Tsad  the  country  is  fertile, 
and  only  here  and  there  are  there  wide,  sandy  deserts 
reminding  one  of  the  waterless,  sterile  regions  of  Aza- 
wagh   and  Taganet   in   the   Great   Sahara,  that  arid, 
monotonous,  and  almost  impassable  gulf  that  separates 
the  regions   of  Sokoto,  Bornu,   Baguirmi   and   Gando 
from  the    European  civilization   of  Northern  Algeria. 
Having  passed  through  the  forest,  the  wooded  level 
became  interrupted  from  time  to  time  by  bare-naked 
concavities,  or  shallow   hollows,  consisting   of   black, 
sedimentary  soil,  where,  during  the  rainy  season,  the 
water  collects,  and  drying  up  gradually  leaves  a  most 
fertile  sediment  for  the  cultivation  of  the  masakwa,  a 
kind  of  holcus  which   is  the  most  important  article  in 
the  agriculture  of  Sokoto.     We  saw  herds  of  ostriches, 
troops  of  gazelles  and  many  moufflons  as,  on  our  forced 
march,  we  passed  the  great  ruins  of  Thaba,  grim,  gray, 
time-worn  monuments  of  the  Roman  occupation,  forded 
the  Yoobe  river  at    Ngouroutoua — where  my  guards 
told  me  an  English  traveller  named   Richardson    had 
died  many  years  ago — skirted  the  lagoon  of  Mouggobi, 
and  continuing  for  nearly  eight    hours  along  narrow, 
verdant  valleys,  where,  side  by  side  with  the  diminutive, 
stunted  palms,  grew  the  .colossal  baobabs,  the  masto- 
dons    of    the     vegetable    kingdom,    whose     gigantic 
branches  were  inhabited  by  vultures,  serpents,  bats  and 
lizards.     Then   at  last  we  passed  out  upon  the  great 
granite  plateau  of  Koyam,  dotted  over  with   hillocks 
and  in  part  strewn  with  quartz  sand,  home  of  the  nomad 
Uled-Delim,     "  pirates   of   the   desert,"    a   sun-baked, 
stony   wilderness    devoid   of   any   living   thing.      The 
third  day  was  occupied  wholly  in    crossing  this   vast 
solitude,  where  incessantly  we  were  compelled  to  shout 


60  ttbe  Bge  of  Ustar. 

"If at  !  Hat!"  the  ejaculation  of  caution  to  our  camels, 
as  the  beasts,  weary  and  jaded,  plodded  on  until,  about 
an  hour  after  we  had  knelt  to  repeat  our  majhrib,  while 
the  shadows  were  lengthening  as  the  sun  declined,  the 
tall,  white  watch-tower  at  the  principal  gate  of  Kukawa 
rose  before  us,  and  beyond  lay  the  waters  of  Lake 
Tsad  shimmering  like  liquid  gold  in  the  glorious  even- 
ing light. 

When  the  cry  was  raised  that  the  town  was  in  sight, 
my  guards  held  consultation  and  halted.  Then  Shu'ba, 
drawing  up  his  camel  close  to  mine,  exclaimed, — 

"  Thou  hast  performed  the  journey  within  the  time 
stipulated  by  our  lord  the  Sultan,  therefore  we  now 
leave  thee  to  continue  thy  way  alone." 

"  Wilt  thou  not  rest  yonder  for  a  while  before  return- 
ing?" I  asked,  surprised. 

"  Nay,"  he  answered,  shrugging  his  shoulders  signif- 
icantly. "  The  people  of  Bornu  are  our  enemies.  We 
would  rather  take  our  ease  upon  the  plains  than  within 
the  city  of  those  who  seek  our  overthrow  " — a  speech 
that  was  greeted  by  low,  guttural  sounds  of  approba- 
tion by  the  others  perched  on  their  camels  around. 
Then,  continuing,  he  said,  "  It  is  our  Sultan's  will  that 
the  meheri  thou  ridest  shall  be  given  unto  thee,  together 
with  this  rifle,  ammunition  and  jambiyah"  and  as  he 
uttered  these  words  he  handed  me  the  gun  he  carried, 
together  with  his  pouch  and  a  crooked  knife  in  a  silver 
scabbard  he  drew  from  his  sash. 

"Alone  in  these  regions  thou  mayest  require  them," 
observed  a  light-hearted  young  negro,  with  a  broad  grin. 

"  Unto  thy  Sultan,  whose  dignity  be  increased,  render 
thanks  in  my  name.  Tell  him  that  Zafar-Ben-A'Ziz  is 
his  grateful  servant,  and  that  he  beareth  neither  malice 
nor  hatred,"  I  answered. 

"  Behold,  I  am  also  charged  with  a  further  duty,"  said 


Tldbite  Gitg.  61 

Shu'ba,  with  a  solemnity  quite  unusual  to  him.  "  Before 
we  left  the  Fada  one  of  the  enunchs  of  the  Courts  of 
Enchantment  gave  this  unto  me  to  deliver  into  thine 
hands,"  and  he  drew  from  the  breast  of  his  gandoura  a 
small  box  of  delicately-chased  gold,  securely  sealed. 

"Whence  didst  thou  obtain  it?"  I  asked,  in  sur- 
prise, taking  it  in  my  hands. 

"  From  Hisham,  the  eunuch.  He  refused  to  tell  who 
had  given  it  unto  him,  but  gave  me  strict  command  to 
place  it  in  thine  hands  at  the  moment  when  we  parted, 
with  an  injunction  that  it  must  not  be  opened  until  thou 
art  actually  within  the  walls  of  Kukawa." 

"  May  I  not  investigate  its  contents  now  ?  "  I  asked, 
puzzled. 

"  Nay,  curb  thine  impatience.  Behold,  the  sun  is 
already  declining,"  he  answered,  glancing  around. 
"  Spur  onward,  or,  of  a  verity,  thou  wilt  not  obtain 
entrance  to  yonder  city  ere  its  gate  is  closed." 

His  prompting  influenced  me  to  make  hurried  adieu, 
and,  as  with  one  accord  they  gave  me  "  Peace,"  I  sped 
away  in  the  direction  of  the  town,  turning  once  to 
wave  back  a  farewell.  As  I  rode  forward,  four  armed 
horsemen,  their  white  burnouses  flying  in  the  wind, 
sped  across  the  plain  to  meet  me.  With  rifles  held 
high  in  air  with  threatening  gesture,  they  in  a  few 
minutes  pulled  their  horses  to  their  haunches  before 
me,  loudly  demanding  whence  I  came. 

"  I  am  Zafar-Ben-A'Ziz  of  the  Ansar  of  thine  ally, 
the  Khalifa  of  Omdurman,"  I  replied,  laughing  a  mo- 
ment later  at  the  effect  my  words  had  produced. 

"From  Omdurman?"  they  gasped.  "How  earnest 
thou  hither  in  company  with  horsemen  of  the  Sultan 
'Othman,  who  fled  at  our  approach  ?  " 

Briefly,  I  told  them  how  I  had  been  held  prisoner, 
and  subsequently  expelled  by  the  Sultan. 


62  Cbe  JCge  of  Istar. 

"  Allah  hath  indeed  covered  thee  with  the  cloak  of 
protection,"  observed  one  of  the  men.  "  None  who 
descends  to  the  terrible  dungeons  beneath  the  Fada  of 
Kano  ever  comes  forth  alive." 

"  Yea,  thou  hast  assuredly  narrowly  escaped,"  agreed 
another,  and,  as  they  turned  to  ride  back  with  me, 
they  related  news  of  how,  on  the  advance  of  the  Kha- 
lifa's troops  towards  Sokoto,  the  iron  cymbals  of  war 
had  been  silenced,  for  the  Dervishes  had  been  attacked 
and  routed  by  the  Kanouri  and  Tuaregs  in  the  swamps 
outside  Massenya,  after  which  it  was  believed  the 
survivors  had  returned  in  confusion  to  Omdurman. 
Thus  I  found  myself  in  sorry  plight,  without  resources, 
and  with  a  thousand  miles  of  gloomy  forest  and  burn- 
ing desert  between  myself  and  the  Dervish  headquar- 
ters beside  the  Nile.  With  my  companions  I  entered 
the  ponderous  gate  which  was  being  kept  open  for  our 
arrival,  and,  passing  the  little  daily  market  (the  dyrriya), 
which  was  crowded,  we  rode  along  the  deudal,  or  prom- 
enade, past  groups  of  Arabs  and  native  courtiers  in  all 
the  finery  of  their  dress  and  of  their  brightly-capari- 
soned horses,  until  we  came  to  the  house  of  the  sheikh, 
a  spacious  place  with  a  single  chedia  or  caoutchouc- 
tree  in  front.  But  the  sand  into  which  we  had  floun- 
dered as  if  it  were  a  mire  pursued  us  everywhere — in 
the  streets,  in  the  houses.  The  lounging  slaves  stared 
at  my  ragged  attire,  but  the  Sheikh  Mohammed  Ben 
Bu-Sad,  to  whom  I  was  conducted,  was  very  gracious, 
and  after  hearing  the  story  of  the  defeat  of  my  com- 
rades-in-arms, my  captivity,  and  my  narrow  escape, 
gave  orders  that  for  the  present  I  should  be  lodged  with 
one  of  the  horsemen  who  had  met  me,  and  whom  I 
discovered  was  named  Lamino  (properly  El-Amin),  his 
confidential  officer.  Thus,  an  hour  later,  I  found  my- 
self installed  in  a  small,  clay-built  house  in  the  billa 


DeileD  flfoen  of  tbe  Desert.  63 

gedibe,  or  eastern  town,  and  when  alone  I  drew  forth 
the  small,  golden  box  Shu'ba  had  given  me.  It  was 
square,  about  the  length  of  the  middle  finger,  covered 
with  quaintly-graven  arabesques,  and  securely  sealed 
with  yellow  wax. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

VEILED    MEN    OF    THE   DESERT. 

EAGERLY  I  broke  the  seals  and  tremblingly  opened 
the  lid  of  the  tiny  casket,  taking  out  a  folded  piece  of 
paper  covered  with  lines  of  Arabic  hastily  scrawled  in 
yellow  ink.  These,  in  the  dim  twilight,  I  deciphered 
only  with  difficulty,  and  found  they  read  as  follows  : — 

"  Know,  O  Stranger,  now  than  hast  escaped  from  the  wrath 
of  our  lord  the  Sultan,  that  thy  presence  within  the  walls  of 
the  Fada  hath  placed  Azala,  Princess  of  Sokoto,  in  deadly 
peril.  If  thou  wilt  lend  her  thine  aid,  return,  for  thou  alone 
canst  solve  the  mysteriotts  symbol  of  the  asps,  rescue  her  from 
death,  and  bring  her  unto  the  garden  of  happiness.  Know, 
O  Stranger,  that  even  though  she  cannot  communicate  or  have 
speech  with  thee,  that  she  loveth  thee  ;  that  each  hour  of  thine 
enforced  absence  is  as  a  year,  and  that  the  gilded  pavilion 
wherein  she  dwelleth  is  but  a  house  of  sorrow  because  of  thy 
departure.  Keep  the  seal  of  silence  ever  upon  thy  lips  and 
obey  the  command  of  Azala  Fathma  quickly,  that  thine  en- 
deavors may  be  approved.  Return  unto  her  speedily  in  such 
disguise  that  thou  canst  not  be  recognized ;  then  will  she  tear 
aside  the  veil  of  secrecy  and  reveal  unto  thee  strange  marvels. 
Pause  not  in  thine  efforts  to  return,  for  each  day  bringeth  her 
nearer  unto  cruel  and  ignominious  Certainty.  May  the  rose- 
grove  of  thy  prosperity  and  good  fortune  be  increased  daily  in 
freshness  and  magnificence,  and  the  foundation  of  thy  belief 
in  the  purity  of  thy  One  of  Beauteous  Countenance  be  more 
firmly  established  from  ho^lr  to  hour.— THY  FRIEND" 


64  £be  Ege  of  ITstar, 


After  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  long  African  day 
the  respite  at  twilight  always  gives  one  a  sensation  of 
physical  solace,  yet  nevertheless  it  brings  with  it  a  feel- 
ing of  intense  sadness  and  melancholy. 

Again  and  again  I  read  the  curious  missive.  Evi- 
dently at  Azala's  instigation  it  had  been  penned  in 
order  to  reassure  me,  and  to  induce  me  to  return  so 
that  I  could  assist  her  in  solving  the  mysterious  prob- 
lem to  which  she  had  hinted  so  pointedly  when  we  had 
been  alone.  But  foreseeing  plainly  the  serious  risk  I 
should  run  if  I  attempted  to  re-enter  Kano,  and  the 
absolute  impossibility  of  obtaining  access  to  the  inner- 
most courts  of  the  Fada,  I  regarded  the  suggestion  as 
utterly  hopeless.  Had  not  the  Sultan  warned  me  that 
if  I  again  set  foot  within  his  empire  my  life  would  pay 
the  penalty  ?  Might  not  his  dread  of  the  mysterious 
evil  that  I  might  bring  upon  him  cause  him  to  take  my 
life,  notwithstanding  his  daughter's  fervent  supplica- 
tions ? 

Yet  Azala  was  in  sore  need  of  help,  and  sought  my 
aid.  Her  promise  to  "  tear  aside  the  veil  of  secrecy  " 
I  felt  inclined  to  construe  into  a  pledge  to  render  me 
explanation  of  the  curious  marks  that  both  of  us  bore. 
Was  it  not  more  than  an  extraordinary  coincidence 
that  with  a  thousand  miles  of  arid,  stony  desert,  and  a 
similar  distance  of  fertile  land  separating  us  at  our 
birth,  we  should  each  bear  the  Brand  of  the  Asps  —  the 
mystic  symbol  the  sight  of  which  terrified  even  the 
powerful  Ruler  of  Sokoto. 

From  the  demeanor  of  both  the  Sultan  and  his 
daughter  I  felt  that  the  strange  device  was  the  key  of 
some  greater  secret  underlying  it,  and  the  thought  of 
Azala  in  peril,  and  trusting  in  me  alone  for  assistance, 
urged  me  to  a  resolution  to  obey  the  injunctions  of  my 
anonymous  correspondent.  I  had  both  a  stout  heart 


DefleD  men  of  tbe  Desert,  65 

and  a  strong  arm.  My  true  Bedouin  parentage  had 
imparted  to  me  the  reckless  nonchalance  of  the  vaga- 
bond adventurer,  and  my  life  during  the  past  ten  years 
had  been  a  strange  series  of  nomadic  ups  and  downs, 
desert  wandering,  fighting,  slave-raiding,  trading  ;  in 
fact,  I  had  picked  up  a  precarious  livelihood  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  majority  of  Sons  of  the  Desert 
whose  camels  are  their  only  wealth,  and  whose  ragged 
tents  their  only  dwelling-place. 

The  Mystery  of  the  Asps  seemed  inexplicable,  but  in 
that  cool  night  beneath  the  stars  in  the  little  open 
court  I  made  solemn  determination  to  return  to  Kano 
and  seek  its  solution,  even  though  compelled  to  risk 
my  life  in  the  attempt. 

Until  the  going  down  of  the  sun  on  the  Nahr-el-arba 
following  my  arrival  at  Kukawa  was  I  the  guest  of 
Lamino  ;  then,  refreshed  by  rest,  I  prayed  my  Fatiha 
in  the  Great  Mosque,  and  assuming  the  loose  robe  of 
dark  blue  cotton,  wrapping  a  white  litham  around  my 
face  and  twisting  some  yards  of  camel's  hair  around 
my  head,  set  out  upon  my  meheri  to  accompany  a  cara- 
van of  Buzawe  conveying  merchandise  to  El  Fasher, 
whence  I  intended  to  travel  alone  back  to  Omdurman, 
there  to  report  the  annihilation  of  my  comrades. 

In  the  whole  of  that  vast  region  from  Lake  Tsad  to 
El  Fasher,  comprising  thousands  of  square  miles,  there 
is  not  a  single  carriage  road,  not  a  mile  of  navigable 
waters,  not  a  wheeled  vehicle,  canoe  or  boat  of  any  kind. 
There  are  scarcely  any  beaten  tracks,  for  most  of  the 
routes,  though  followed  for  ages  without  divergence  to 
right  or  left,  are  temporarily  effaced  with  every  sand- 
storm, and  recovered  only  by  means  of  the  permanent 
landmarks — wells,  prominent  dunes,  a  solitary  knoll 
crowned  with  a  solitary  bush,  or  perchance  a  ghastly 
line  of  bleached  bones  of  men  and  animals,  the  remains 


66  ube  Bge  of  Itetat. 

of  slaves,  camels,  or  travellers  that  may  have  perished 
of  thirst  or  exhaustion  between  the  oases.  Few  ven- 
ture to  travel  alone,  or  even  in  small  parties,  which 
could  offer  but  little  resistance  to  the  bands  of  maraud- 
ers hovering  about  all  the  main  lines  of  traffic.  Hence 
the  caravans  usually  comprise  hundreds  and  even  thou- 
sands of  men  and  pack  animals,  all  under  a  kebir,  or 
guide,  whose  word  is  law.  Under  him  are  assistants, 
armed  escorts  and  scouts  to  reconnoitre  the  land  in 
dangerous  neighborhoods,  besides  notaries  to  record 
contracts  and  agreements,  sometimes  even  public 
criers,  and  an  imam  to  recite  the  prescribed  prayers. 

The  caravan,  belonging  to  Abu  Talib,  a  wealthy 
merchant  of  Y6,  was  a  small  one,  consisting  of  about 
one  hundred  camels  heavily  laden  with  ivory,  kola  nuts, 
spices,  and  other  goods  from  the  far  south,  destined 
for  the  great  market  at  El  Fasher,  and  was  guarded  by 
twenty  fierce-looking  Arabs  and  a  number  of  negro 
and  Arab  drivers,  all  well  armed,  for  the  country 
through  which  we  were  to  pass  was  infested  by  the 
marauding  Tuaregs,  those  black-veiled  terrors  of  the 
plains,  who  know  nothing  of  anything  but  the  desert 
and  the  implacable  sun. 

Abu  Talib,  who  accompanied  us  in  person,  was  an 
aged,  good-hearted  man  of  the  tribe  of  Aulad  Hamed, 
who  had  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  trading  be- 
tween In  Salah  and  Timbuktu,  or  between  Y6  and  Mour- 
kouk,  over  the  boundless  Sahara,  and  in  the  darkness, 
as  we  rode  together  and  our  camels  with  silent  tread 
loomed  like  phantoms  in  the  midnight  air,  we  told  each 
other  of  our  journeys  and  adventures.  His  compan- 
ions were  true  sons  of  the  sands,  active,  vigorous  and 
enterprising,  inured  to  hardships,  and  with  the  mental 
faculties  sharpened  almost  to  a  preternatural  degree 
by  the  hard  struggle  for  existence  in  their  arid,  rocky 


Defied  fllen  of  tbe  Desert.  67 

homes.  In  making  their  way  across  those  trackless 
solitudes  they  seemed  endowed  with  that  "  sense  of 
direction,"  the  existence  of  which  has  recently  been 
discussed  by  students  of  psychology.  In  the  whole  of 
the  Great  Sahara  no  race  is  more  shrewd  or  cunning 
than  the  Buzawe,  and  their  tact  and  skill  enable  them 
to  get  the  better  both  of  Arabs  and  negroes  in  the 
markets  of  the  oases.  Greed  and  harshness  were 
stamped  upon  their  hard  features,  but  nevertheless 
they  treated  me,  a  lonely  wanderer,  with  considerable 
kindness. 

On  leaving  Kukawa  we  passed  across  a  great  plain, 
then  through  a  dense  forest,  afterwards  entering  a 
fine,  undulating  country,  covered  with  a  profusion  of 
herbage,  with  here  and  there  large  gamshi-trees  with 
broad,  fleshy  leaves  of  brightest  green.  The  moon 
shone  bright  as  day,  and  as  our  file  of  camels  strode 
on  with  slow,  rhythmic  movement  under  their  burdens, 
the  drivers  would  now  and  then  sing  snatches  of  wild 
songs  of  daring  in  the  Hausa  tongue. 

Thus,  resting  by  day  and  journeying  by  night,  we 
moved  forward  around  the  marshy  shore  of  Lake  Tsad 
to  Missene,  thence  through  the  cool,  shady  forest  of 
Dekena  Kreda,  enlivened  by  many  birds,  along  the 
densely-populated  valleys  of  Boulala  to  the  strange 
little  town  of  Amm  Chererib  situate  in  the  hollow 
formed  between  four  great  mountains,  at  length,  when 
the  moon  was  again  at  the  full,  reaching  Abecher,  at 
the  foot  of  the  hills  of  Outoulo,  without  much  exciting 
incident.  Halting  for  one  day  under  the  fortified  walls 
to  fill  our  camels'  kewas  with  provisions,  we  again 
pushed  forward  unceasingly  in  order  to  accomplish  the 
two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  of  barren,  waterless  land 
unmercifully  scorched  and  burnt  by  a  devouring  sun, 
that  stretches  between  the  capital  of  Darmaba  and  El 


68  Gbe  3Ese  of  flstar. 


Fasher.  This  portion  of  the  journey  was  the  most 
difficult  we  had  encountered,  for  the  rough  stones 
played  terrible  havoc  with  the  spongy  feet  of  our 
camels,  and  the  heat  was  insufferable,  even  at  night, 
on  account  of  the  poison-wind  sweeping  across  us  con- 
tinuously. For  five  days  we  pushed  forward  by  short 
stages  only,  until  at  sunrise  one  day  we  espied  an 
oasis,  and,  encamping  in  the  small  shade  it  afforded, 
Abu  Talib  decided  to  give  the  animals  rest.  The  packs 
were  therefore  removed,  our  tents  erected,  and  having 
eaten  our  dakkwa,  a  dry  paste  made  of  pounded 
Guinea-corn  with  dates  and  pepper,  washed  it  down 
with  some  giya  made  of  sorghum,  we  reclined  and  slept 
during  the  warm,  drowsy  hours  of  the  siesta. 

Some  noise  had  awakened  me,  and  lighting  my  keef- 
pipe  I  was  squatting  in  the  shadow  cast  by  one  of  the 
camel's  packs,  deep  in  my  own  sad  thoughts,  when  the 
crack  of  a  rifle  startled  me.  Next  second,  even  before 
my  companions  could  seize  their  arms,  the  whole 
neighborhood  was  alive  with  yelling  Tuaregs  on 
horseback,  armed  to  the  teeth,  with  their  draperies 
floating  in  the  wind.  I  saw  they  all  wore  the  black 
litham  about  their  faces.  One,  as  he  advanced  on  foot, 
levelled  his  gun  at  me  and  fired,  but  missed.  In  a 
moment  I  threw  myself  full  length  upon  the  sand  be- 
hind a  camel's  pack,  and  opened  fire  upon  our  enemies, 
With  deliberate  aim  I  had  picked  off  three  with  as 
many  shots,  when  suddenly  I  heard  old  Abu  Talib 
cry,— 

"  Lost  are  we  !  Our  enemies  are  the  Aoulemidens  !  " 
Almost  before  the  words  died  upon  his  lips  a  bullet 
struck  the  old  man  full  in  the  breast  ;  he  staggered 
back  and  fell,  within  a  few  yards  of  me,  a  corpse.  To 
resist  these  fierce  outlaws,  the  most  relentless  tribe  of 
Tuaregs  who  lived  in  the  depths  of  that  arid,  desolate 


"HAND-TO-HAND    WE   STRUGGLED." — Page  tx). 


\t)elle£>  flfcen  of  tbe  Desert.  69 

country,  with  no  knowledge  of  the  outside  world,  was, 
we  knew,  hopeless,  for  there  were  fully  three  hundred 
of  them,  and  as  they  found  our  little  band  disinclined 
to  surrender,  they  began  shooting  us  down  ruthlessly. 
Already  four  of  our  party  had  been  captured  and 
bound,  while  three  were  lying  dead,  nevertheless  our 
rapid  fusillade  kept  at  bay  those  preparing  to  dash  in 
and  seize  our  camels'  packs. 

Fiercely  we  fought  for  life.  We  knew  that  if  we  fell 
into  the  hands  of  this  brigandish  tribe  who  called 
themselves  "  The  Breath  of  the  Wind,"  by  which  their 
victims  were  to  understand  that  they  might  as  well  seek 
the  wind  as  hope  to  recover  their  stolen  property,  we 
should  either  be  sold  at  the  nearest  market,  or  placed 
under  some  horrible  and  fiendish  torture  to  die  a  slow, 
agonizing  death.  Suddenly  a  wild  yell  rerit  the  air, 
and  before  we  were  aware  of  it  a  troop  of  some  fifty 
horsemen  dashed  in  among  us,  so  quickly  that  re- 
sistance was  impossible.  Hand-to-hand  we  struggled, 
straining  every  muscle  to  evade  our  enemies,  but  ere 
long  the  obstinate,  heroic  courage  of  my  companions 
could  no  longer  blind  them  to  the  approach  of  the  in- 
evitable, and  we  were  each  secured  and  bound,  captives 
in  the  hands  of  the  merciless  veiled  men  of  the  desert, 
whose  fierce  brutality  was  feared  alike  by  slaves  and 
Sultans  throughout  the  sun-parched  land. 

Our  arms  were  twisted  from  our  grasp,  our  camels' 
packs  seized,  and,  linked  together  ignominiously  by 
chains  around  our  necks,  we  were  secured  to  three 
palm  trunks,  under  a  strong  guard  with  loaded  rifles,  to 
wait  while  our  captors  investigated  their  booty  and  re- 
loaded our  camels.  Nearly  two  hours  this  occupied, 
when  at  length  the  gray-bearded,  sinister-faced  leader 
of  the  band  of  free-booters  gave  the  order  to  mount, 
and  before  long  the  party,  numbering  nearly  three  hun- 


70  Gbe  JEge  of  flstar. 

dred  horsemen  armed  to  the  teeth,  moved  away  into 
the  sandy  wilderness,  compelling  us  to  trudge  over  the 
hot,  stony  ground  on  foot  under  the  fiery  rays  of  the 
blazing  sun.  It  was  evident  that  we  were  to  be  sold  as 
slaves.  One  unfortunate  camel-driver,  who  had  been 
wounded,  fell  from  sheer  exhaustion  within  the  first 
hour,  and  was  left  to  die,  for  slave-raiders  like  "  The 
Breath  of  the  Wind  "  regard  the  wounded  only  as  an 
encumbrance,  and  as  they  will  not  sell  they  are  either 
put  out  of  their  misery  by  a  shot,  or  left  to  die  of  thirst 
and  become  food  for  the  vultures.  Fortunately,  with 
the  exception  of  a  slight  cut  on  the  left  hand  received 
from  a  jambiyah  with  which  one  of  my  captors  had 
slashed  at  me,  I  sustained  no  injury,  and  with  my 
companions,  a  little  band  of  silent,  despairing  men, 
I  plodded  wearily  onward — onward  to  be  sold  into 
slavery. 

Upon  all  the  perpendicular  rays  of  the  sun  beat 
down  with  a  heat  as  burning  and  intense  as  that  of  a 
fiery  furnace,  and  always — always  for  a  horizon — the 
desert,  the  infinite  breadth  of  glaring  sands. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

AN    AUDIENCE   OF    THE    KHALIFA. 

THOSE  days  of  burning  heat  were  full  of  horrors. 
Treated  with  scant  humanity,  we  were  half  starved,  al- 
lowed only  sufficient  water  to  slake  our  thirst  once  a 
day,  and  beaten  mercilessly  with  thongs  of  rhinoceros 
hide  whenever  one,  more  faint  and  weary  than  the  rest, 
lagged  behind.  Eastward  we  travelled  for  six  days, 
until,  at  the  well  of  Lassera  Dar  Abd-er-Rahman,  we 


2ln  Bu&fence  ot  tbe  *fcbalifa.  71 

were  sold  for  two  small  bags  of  gold  to  some  nomad 
Dasas  encamped  there.  The  Tuaregs  dare  not  enter  a 
town  in  the  Eastern  Soudan,  although,  in  the  West,  they 
are  universally  dreaded  on  account  of  their  depreda- 
tions ;  therefore  they  always  sell  their  captives  to  other 
slavers,  who  dispose  of  their  human  wares  at  the  nearest 
trade  centre.  Hence,  by  our  new  masters  we  were 
conveyed  to  Dara,  a  town  one  day's  journey  south  of 
El  Fasher,  placed  in  the  slave  market,  and,  after  con- 
siderable haggling,  disposed  of. 

My  new  master  was  a  well-dressed,  keen-eyed,  wizen- 
faced  old  Arab  of  the  tribe  known  as  Jalin,  who,  after 
inspecting  me  and  looking  into  my  mouth  as  he  would 
a  horse,  handed  payment  with  ill  grace  to  the  black- 
faced  scoundrel  who  sold  me,  and  ordered  me  to  follow 
him.  Together  we  passed  out  of  the  busy,  bustling 
crowd,  when  he  addressed  me,  asking  my  name. 

"  Art  thou  an  Arab  from  the  North  ? "  he  exclaimed 
in  surprise,  when  I  had  told  him  who  I  was,  and  the 
place  of  my  birth.  "  How  earnest  thou  hither  ?" 

"  I  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Tuaregs,  upon  whom 
may  the  curse  of  Eblis  rest !  "  I  answered,  hesitating  to 
inform  him  at  present  that  I  was  a  Dervish. 

As  we  walked  to  the  city  gate,  where  he  said  his 
camels  were  tethered,  he  told  me  his  name  was  Shazan, 
and,  judge  my  extreme  satisfaction  when  he  added  that 
he  was  about  to  return  to  Omdurman,  where  he  lived 
opposite  the  Beit-el-Amana.  Hence,  my  stroke  of  ill- 
fortune  turned  out  advantageous,  for  within  a  week  I 
found  myself  once  again  within  the  great  walls  of  the 
Khalifa's  stronghold.  Then  my  new  master  having 
treated  me  harshly,  I  resolved  at  last  that  he  should 
suffer,  therefore  I  applied  to  the  Kaid  for  release  from 
slavery,  on  the  ground  that  I  was  a  member  of  the  An- 
sar  of  the  Khalifa.  Old  Shazan,  amazed  that  his  latest 


72  ZTbe  Ege  of  Ustat. 

purchase  should  turn  out  to  be  one  of  his  great  ruler's 
bodyguard,  rated  me  soundly  for  not  informing  him  at 
first,  but  I  laughed,  telling  him  that  I  had  desired  to 
get  to  Omdurman,  and  kept  my  own  counsel,  until  such 
time  as  it  suited  me.  Knowing  that  he  would  lose  the 
money  he  had  paid  for  me,  the  close-fisted  old  mer- 
chant refused  to  comply  with  the  order  made  by  the 
Kaid  for  my  release,  but  the  rumor  of  my  escape  from 
Kano,  coming  to  the  ears  of  the  great  Abdullah,  the 
latter  one  day  sent  six  of  his  personal  attendants  with 
orders  to  release  me,  and  to  bring  me  before  him. 

The  shadows  were  lengthening  in  the  marble  courts 
of  the  "  Bab,"  or  great  palace  of  the  Mahdi's  tyrannical 
successor,  when  I  was  conducted  across  the  outer 
square,  where  brightly-dressed  guards  were  loung- 
ing on  their  rifles,  or  playing  damma  beneath  the  cool, 
vine-veiled  arches.  Never  before  had  I  been  per- 
mitted to  set  foot  inside  the  court,  although  many 
times  had  I  passed  under  the  shadow  of  the  Iron 
Mosque  near  by,  and  gazed  with  curiosity  at  the  high 
walls,  smeared  with  red  sand,  which  encircled  the  mar- 
ble courts,  gilded  pavilions  and  cool  gardens  of  the 
ruler  of  the  Soudan — the  ruler  whose  only  idea  was  self- 
aggrandizement.  The  extent  of  the  palace  amazed 
me,  for,  even  if  it  was  scarcely  as  luxurious  as  the 
wonderful  Fada  at  Kano,  it  was  assuredly  quite  as 
large.  Through  one  open,  sun-lit  court  after  another 
we  passed,  until  we  were  challenged  by  four  of  the 
royal  bodyguard  with  drawn  swords,  but  a  word  pro- 
pitiated them,  and  a  few  seconds  later  I  found  myself  in 
the  great,  marble-built  Hall  of  Audience,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  stout,  sinister-faced  man  of  middle  age  and 
kingly  bearing,  with  black,  scraggy  beard,  whose  name 
was  a  power  throughout  the  Soudan.  He  wore  a  robe 
of  bright  purple,  embroidered  with  gold,  a  turban  of 


Bn  BuDience  of  tbe  IRbalifa.  73 

white  silk,  and  his  fat,  brown  hands  were  loaded  with 
rings  of  enormous  value. 

Beneath  a  great  baldachin  of  bright  yellow  silk,  with 
tassels  and  fringes  of  gold,  surmounted  by  the  stan- 
dard of  the  Mahdi,  the  powerful  Abdullah,  the  ruler 
before  whom  all  trembled,  reclined  upon  his  luxurious 
silken  divan,  fanned  by  black  slaves  on  either  side, 
while  a  negro  lad  sat  at  his  feet,  ready  to  hand  him  a 
pipe,  the  mouth-piece  of  which  was  studded  with  dia- 
monds. Around  him  were  grouped  his  body-servants, 
the  mulazimin,  and  officers,  while  near  him  was  Abdel 
Gayum,  the  chief  eunuch,  his  hand  resting  upon  his 
sword,  and  Alt  Wad  Helu,  chief  of  the  Baggara,  who 
had  led  the  ill-fated  expedition  of  which  I  had  been  a 
member. 

Conducted  by  my  guides  up  to  the  scarlet  mat  spread 
before  the  potentate,  who  thought  himself  master  of 
the  whole  world,  I  fell  upon  my  knees  in  obeisance,  ex- 
pressing thanks  for  my  rescue  from  bondage. 

"  Let  him  be  seated,"  the  Khalifa  ordered,  turning 
to  his  slaves,  and  in  an  instant  cushions  were  brought, 
and  I  sat  myself,  cross-legged,  awaiting  questions  to 
fall  from  his  lips.  "What,  I  wondered,  had  I  done  that 
I  was  allowed  to  sit  in  the  royal  presence  ?" 

"  So  thou  art  the  Arab  Zafar-Ben-A'Ziz,  the  horse- 
man who  alone  escaped  death  at  the  well  of  Sabo-n- 
Gari  ?  "  exclaimed  the  vain,  cruel,  quick-tempered  man 
who  ruled  the  Soudan  under  the  guise  of  Mahdiism. 

"  I  am,  O  King,"  I  answered,  bowing  until  my  fore- 
head touched  the  carpet. 

"  Of  a  verity  will  I  punish  those  enemies  who  at- 
tacked my  Jehadieh,"  he  cried  suddenly,  in  fiercest 
rage.  "  Where  be  those  owls,  those  oxen  of  the  oxen, 
those  beggars,  those  cut-off  ones,  those  aliens,  those 
Sons  of  Flight  ?  Withered  be  their  hands  !  palsied  be 


74  Gbe  BBC  of  Istar. 

their  fingers  !  the  foul  moustachioed  fellows  !  basest 
of  the  Arabs  who  ever  hammered  tent-peg  !  sneaking 
cats  !  goats  of  Al-Akhfash  !  Truly  will  I  torture  them 
with  the  torture  of  oil,  the  mines  of  infamy,  the  cold 
of  countenance  !  By  Allah,  and  by  Allah,  and  by 
Allah,  we  will  crush  those  sons  of  Ach  Chaitan  like 
snakes,  and  throw  their  bodies  to  the  dogs  !  "  Then, 
turning  to  me  in  calmer  mood,  the  autocrat  of  the 
Soudan  exclaimed,  "  Some  of  thine  adventures  have 
already  reached  mine  ear,  and  I  would  hear  from  thine 
own  lips  how  thou  didst  escape  and  how  farest  thou  in 
the  Fada  of  'Othman  of  Sokoto.  Let  not  thy  tongue 
hurry,  but  relate  carefully  in  thine  own  words  what 
things  occurred  to  thee." 

"Thy  servant  is  honored,  O  Ruler  of  our  Empire," 
I  answered.  "  Under  thy  Raya  Zerga  did  I  go  forth, 
but  returned  hither  as  the  slave  of  the  merchant 
Shazan " 

"Already  have  we  full  knowledge  of  that,"  the  tyran- 
nical monarch  interrupted,  and  turning  to  one  of  his 
officers  he  added,  with  an  imperious  wave  of  his  fat 
hand,  "  Let  the  merchant  Shazan,  the  dog  of  a  Jalin, 
receive  fifty  strokes  with  the  bastinado  and  be  fined 
two  bags  of  gold  for  purchasing  a  slave  belonging  to 
his  Sultan." 

Then,  as  the  official  hastened  out  to  do  his  capricious 
master's  bidding,  the  Khalifa  turned  towards  me,  his 
thick  red  lips  parted  in  a  smile,  lolling  back  lazily  on 
his  divan  as  he  exclaimed, — 

"  Continue  thy  story.  Our  ears  are  open  for  in- 
formation regarding  the  city  of  'Othman,  therefore 
describe  in  detail  all  that  thou  knowest." 

Briefly  I  related  how  we  had  been  attacked  at  night 
by  the  Tuaregs,  how  my  comrades  had  been  slaugh- 
tered fighting  till  the  last,  and  how  I  awoke  to  find 


an  auDience  of  tbe  Ubalifa.  75 

myself  within  the  palace  of  the  Sultan  'Othman,  when 
suddenly  the  injunction  contained  in  the  anonymous 
letter  recurred  to  me  :  "  Keep  the  seal  of  silence  ever 
upon  thy  lips."  Therefore  I  deemed  it  expedient  to 
omit  from  my  narrative  all  reference  to  Azala,  making 
it  appear  that  I  had  been  rescued  by  a  kind-hearted 
soldier  of  the  palace  guard.  I  knew  that  Abdullah  de- 
lighted in  listening  to  calumnies  and  hearing  evil 
spoken  of  other  people,  and  for  half-an-hour  enter- 
tained him  by  describing  the  situation  and  aspect  of 
Kano,  the  dimensions  of  the  Fada,  the  horrors  of  my 
dungeon,  and  the  personal  appearance  and  character 
of  the  Sultan  'Othman,  to  which  all  listened  with 
breathless  attention. 

When  I  had  finished  he  remained  silent  a  moment,  as 
if  reflecting,  then  raising  his  head  he  bestowed  a  few 
words  of  commendation  upon  me,  concluding  by  the 
declaration, — 

"  Of  a  verity  thou  art  a  faithful  and  valiant  servant. 
Henceforward  thou  shalt  be  chief  of  my  mulazimin,  and 
honored  among  men." 

I  was  expressing  thanks  in  flowery  speech  to  the 
autocrat  for  this  appointment,  which,  as  chief  of  his 
Majesty's  body-servants,  was  a  position  of  great  honor, 
with  substantial  emoluments,  when  suddenly  the  silk- 
robed  heralds  posted  at  the  entrance  to  the  iTall  of 
Audience  sounded  three  loud  blasts  upon  their  shin- 
ing onbeias.  Then,  as  every  one's  attention  was  di- 
rected towards  the  great  horse-shoe  arch  from  which 
the  curtains  of  blue  silk  were  ceremoniously  drawn 
aside  by  blackguards,  there  entered  a  tall,  commanding 
figure  in  gorgeous  robe,  attended  by  a  dozen  followers 
less  showily  dressed,  but  all  armed,  making  great  show 
of  ostentation.  With  swaggering  gait  the  stranger 
strode  up  the  spacious  hall,  and  as  the  Khalifa  mo- 


76  Ube  B^e  of  fstar. 

tioned  me  to  rise  and  step  aside  to  allow  the  new-comer 
to  make  obeisance  in  the  royal  presence,  I  was  amazed 
and  alarmed  to  suddenly  recognize  in  him  the  man  I 
least  desired  to  meet. 

It  was  Khazneh,  the  brutal  Aga  of  the  Eunuchs  at 
the  court  of  'Othman,  Sultan  of  Sokoto. 


CHAPTER  X. 

BY   IMPERIAL   REQUEST. 

IN  fear  of  recognition  I  held  my  breath,  and,  with- 
drawing among  the  crowd  of  guards  and  courtiers 
assembled  around  the  royal  divan,  watched  the  obse- 
quious homage  paid  the  Khalifa  by  Khazneh,  who  I 
discovered  was  accompanied  by  Mahaza,  Grand  Vizier 
of  Sokoto. 

Abdullah,  reclining  lazily  upon  his  silken  cushions, 
at  first  paid  little  heed  to  their  salaams.  On  his  brow 
was  a  dark,  forbidding  look  ;  probably  he  was  thinking 
of  the  ill-fated  expedition  he  had  dispatched,  and  the 
apparent  hopelessness  of  ever  conquering  his  enemy 
'Othman.  Long  ago  had  he  overstepped  the  dignity 
of  a  sovereign,  and  now  coveted  the  honors  of  a  god. 
The  two  ambassadors  from  the  Fada  at  Kano  pros- 
trated themselves,  pressing  their  foreheads  to  the 
ground,  and  assured  the  powerful  head  of  the  Mahdists 
that  they  were  charged  by  their  Sultan  to  convey  to 
him  most  fervent  salutations.  Yet  he  affected  not 
to  notice  their  presence. 

Surprised  at  the  haughty  coolness  of  his  reception, 
Khazneh,  still  upon  his  knees,  continued  to  address  the 
mighty  Khalifa. 


3SSg  ffmperial  IRequest.  77 

"  Know,  O  One  of  Exalted  Dignity,  Ruler  of  the 
Soudan,  who  holdeth  thy  servants'  destinies  in  the 
hollow  of  thine  hand,  the  object  of  our  journey  hither 
is  to  spread  out  the  carpet  of  apologies,  to  become 
ennobled  by  meeting  thine  exalted  person,  to  regener- 
ate and  to  refresh  the  meadow  of  our  expectations  by 
the  showers  of  the  fountain-head  of  thy  wisdom,  and 
to  see  the  rosebuds  of  our  hopes  opening  and  smiling 
from  the  breeze  of  thy  regard.  Our  lord  the  Sultan 
has  sent  us  to  deliver  this,  therefore  command  and  deal 
with  us  as  thou  listeth,"  and  from  the  breast  of  his 
gorgeous  robe  he  drew  forth  a  sealed  letter,  which  was 
ceremoniously  handed  to  the  reclining  potentate  by 
one  of  the  black  slaves. 

The  Khalifa  Abdullah,  suddenly  interested,  opened 
it,  and,  having  read  the  missive,  crushed  it  in  his  hand 
with  impatient  gesture. 

"  Behold,"  added  Khazneh,  "  we  are  charged  to  de- 
liver unto  thee  a  few  gems  for  thine  acceptance  as  a 
peace-offering,  and  to  assure  thee  of  our  lord  'Oth- 
man's  good  will  and  high  esteem,"  and  as  he  uttered 
the  words,  the  gaudily-dressed  members  of  the  mission 
advanced,  and,  kneeling,  deposited  before  the  royal 
divan  a  golden  salver  heaped  with  costly  jewels. 

With  a  cursory  glance  at  them,  the  occupant  of  the 
divan  at  length  motioned  the  ambassadors  to  rise,  say- 
ing in  a  deep,  impressive  voice, — 

"  The  request  of  the  Sultan  is  granted,  and  his  pres- 
ents accepted,  O  messengers.  Assure  thy  lord  that 
the  knot  of  our  amity  is^to-day  strengthened  by  this 
invitation  to  travel  unto  Kano,  and  that  ere  many 
moons  have  risen  we  shall  have  the  felicity  of  con- 
versing with  him.  At  present  Allah  hath  not  on  the 
face  of  the  earth  a  servant  more  excellent  nor  wise 
than  he,  and  we  are  invested  with  the  robe  of  being 


78  Cbe  Ese  of  Tletar. 

the  elect  and  favored.  May  the  path  of  our  associa- 
tion never  become  obstructed." 

The  dead  silence  that  had  fallen  upon  the  Court  was 
broken  by  rustling  movement  and  low  murmurings  of 
approbation. 

"  Truly  thou  art  wise  and  generous,  O  Ruler,  upon 
whom  be  the  blessing  of  the  pardoning  Sovereign," 
exclaimed  Mahaza.  "Thou,  who  art  distinguished  by 
great  possessions,  abundant  revenues,  innumerable 
quantities  of  cattle,  and  multitudes  of  servants  and 
slaves,  showerest  upon  thy  servants  copious  favors. 
May  the  enemies  of  the  threshold  of  thy  dignity  and 
station  be  overtaken  by  the  deluge  of  affliction,  and 
may  they  in  the  sea  of  exclusion  be  drowned  by  the 
waves  of  perdition." 

"  Verily,  if  thou  comest  unto  Kano,  our  lord  will 
receive  thee  with  befitting  welcome,"  added  Khazneh. 

"  Thou,  successor  to  the  holy  Mahdi  who  possessest 
the  three  greatest  blessings,  namely,  meekness  in  the 
time  of  anger,  liberality  in  the  time  of  dearth,  and  par- 
don in  a  powerful  position,  wilt  find  a  reception  awaiteth 
thee  such  as  none  have  hitherto  received  within  the 
walls  of  our  city.  The  relation  of  a  king  unto  his  sub- 
jects is  like  the  relation  of  a  soul  to  the  body;  in  the 
same  way  as  the  soul  doth  not  neglect  the  body  for  a 
single  instant,  so  the  king  must  not  forget  the  care  of 
his  subjects  even  during  the  twinkling  of  an  eye. 
Thou  hast  never  swerved  from  the  straight  path,  hence 
thou  art  honored  throughout  the  Soudan,  even  to  the 
uttermost  ends  of  Sokoto,  and  if  thou  wilt  deign  to 
visit  our  Sultan  he  will  offer  unto  thee  and  thine  offi- 
cers, guards  and  slaves,  generous  entertainment  within 
the  Fada,  for  he  desireth  an  understanding  with  thee 
that  our  countries  may  unite  to  defeat  and  discomfort 
our  mutual  enemies." 


JBB  Umperial  IRequest.  79 

The  reason  of  the  unlooked-for  invitation  to  visit 
the  great  White  City  he  had  plotted  to  besiege  imme- 
diately commended  itself  to  the  Khalifa,  who,  with  a 
benign  smile,  took  from  his  finger  two  great  emerald 
rings,  and,  handing  one  to  each  of  the  Sultan's  ambas- 
sadors, assured  them  that  the  sun  of  his  personal  favors 
shone  upon  them,  adding,  in  prophetic  tones, — 

"  Take  your  ease  here,  for  ye  must  be  spent  with 
long  travel.  I  know  not  the  day  when  I  can  set  forth, 
for  I  act  according  to  hidden  knowledge,  the  visible 
effects  of  which  are  ofttimes  evil,  but  the  consequences 
always  beneficent  and  salutory." 

Then,  as  the  two  men  from  Kano  again  pressed 
their  brows  to  the  carpet,  renewed  laudations  and 
gratitude  for  blessings  received  emanated  from  their 
lips,  and  from  those  assembled  there  rose  panegyrical 
murmurs  that  Abdullah  had  decided  to  visit  the  Sultan 
'Othman  as  honored  guest  instead  of  arrogant  con- 
queror. 

Thus  was  the  meeting  between  the  two  powerful 
rulers  of  the  Sahara  and  the  Soudan  arranged,  a  meet- 
ing destined  to  mark  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  Central 
Africa.  The  Khalifa's  curiosity  to  investigate  the  ex- 
tent of  the  wealthy  country  which  acknowledged  'Oth- 
man as  Sultan  probably  accounted  for  his  sudden  de- 
cision to  undertake  the  long  and  tedious  journey. 
Although  the  invitation  had  been  sent  with  a  view  to 
effecting  an  offensive  and  defensive  alliance  between 
the  two  peoples,  yet,  in  my  new  office  as  chief  of  the 
Khalifa's  body-servants,  I  had  ample  means  [of  know- 
ing that  he  still  cherished  hopes  of  eventually  over- 
throwing his  whilom  ally,  and  annexing  the  Empire  of 
Sokoto.  Two  days  after  the  reception  of  the  envoys, 
Mahaza  left  on  his  return  to  inform  'Othman  of  his 
friend's  intended  visit,  while  Khazneh  remained  to 


8o  Gbe  BEC  ot  fstac. 


accompany  his  master's  guest.  Being  permitted  as  a 
favored  servant  to  approach  Abdullah  closely,  I  was 
fortunately  enabled  to  express  to  him  a  hope  that  the 
Aga  of  the  Sultan's  Eunuchs  would  not  be  made 
aware  of  my  identity  with  the  hapless  victim  of  his 
wrath,  and  it  was  with  satisfaction  I  found  that  in  my 
silk  robes  of  bright  crimson  and  gold  and  picturesque 
head-dress  my  enemy  failed  to  recognize  me. 

The  day  was  an  eventful  one  in  Omdurman  when,  at 
first  flush  of  dawn,  my  royal  master  seated  himself 
under  the  thatched  rukuba  and  addressed  his  Ansar, 
urging  upon  them  the  necessity  of  loyalty  and  discipline 
during  his  absence.  Then,  after  a  great  review  of 
seventy  thousand  troops  in  the  square  of  Abu  nga, 
the  Mahdist  chieftain,  with  a  portion  of  his  harem,  one 
thousand  male  slaves  and  four  thousand  courtiers  and 
picked  horsemen  with  banners,  moved  down  the  Road 
of  the  Martyrs  on  the  first  stage  of  the  long  journey 
westward.  Prayers  for  the  safety  of  the  Khalifa  were 
at  that  moment  being  said  by  nearly  one  hundred  thou- 
sand men  and  women  in  the  Great  Mosque  —  not  a 
mosque  in  its  usual  sense,  but  a  huge  yard  —  and  their 
murmurings  sounded  like  a  distant  roar  as,  in  the  cool 
hour  before  sunrise,  we  rode  at  walking  pace  along  the 
winding  Nile  bank  towards  the  misty  hills  where  dwelt 
the  Jinns. 

Eager  as  were  my  companions  to  feast  their  eyes  on 
the  glories  of  Kano,  none  was  so  eager  as  myself  to 
pass  the  grim,  prison-like  portals  of  the  great  Fada  and 
rest  beside  those  cool,  ever-plashing  fountains  within 
the  wonderful  labyrinth  of  wide  courts  and  shady 
arcades.  The  wheel  "of  fortune  had  indeed  taken  a 
strange  turn  and  was  spinning  in  my  favor,  for  I  was 
actually  returning  to  Azala  in  disguise  so  effectual  that 
even  Khazneh  could  not  detect  me,  and  as  each  day 


fttamo  tbe  Dwarf.  81 

brought  me  nearer  to  her  I  racked  my  brain  in  vain  to 
devise  some  means  by  which  I  could,  on  arrival,  inform 
her  of  my  presence  and  obtain  an  interview. 

To  fathom  the  hidden  secret  of  the  Mark  of  the  Asps 
I  was  determined,  and  on  the  hot,  tedious  journey 
across  the  dreary,  sandy  waste,  infested  by  marauders, 
and  known  by  the  ominous  name  of  Ur  immandess — 
"He  (Allah)  hears  not;  "  that  is,  is  deaf  to  the  cry  of  the 
waylaid  traveller — I  served  my  capricious  master  with 
patience  and  diligence,  awaiting  such  time  as  I  could 
seek  the  woman  who  had  entranced  me,  and  learn  from 
her  lips  the  strange  things  she  had  promised  to  reveal. 

By  day  the  journey  was  terribly  fatiguing,  but  in  the 
cool  nights,  when  we  encamped  for  our  kayf,  there  was 
feasting,  dancing  and  merry-making.  The  night  hours 
were  enlivened  by  Safk  (clapping  of  hands)  and  the 
loud  sounds  of  songs.  There  were  many  groups  of 
dancing-girls,  surrounded  by  crowds  of  onlookers. 
Though  sometimes  they  performed  Al-Nahl,  the  Bee 
dance,  their  performances  were  wild  in  the  extreme, 
resembling  rather  the  hopping  of  bears  than  the  grace- 
ful dances  of  the  harem,  and  the  bystanders  joined  in 
the  song — an  interminable  recitative,  as  usual  in  the 
minor  key,  and  so  well  tuned  that  it  sounded  like  one 
voice,  with  the  refrain  "  La  Yayha  !  La  Yayha  !  " 
Through  the  brief,  brilliant  night  always  "  La  Yayha  !  " 


CHAPTER  XI. 

TIAMO    THE    DWARF. 

A  WHOLE  moon  passed  ere  the  sun-whitened  walls 
and  minarets  of  Kano  became  visible.  The  sandy  ap- 
proaches of  the  city  were  strewn  with  bones  and  car- 
casses that  had  been  disinterred  by  wild  beasts,  the 


82  Gbe  Bse  of  flstar. 


remains  of  camels,  horses  and  asses  that  had  fallen  and 
died  in  the  last  stages  of  the  journey.  The  cities  of  the 
desert  are  invariably  encircled  by  their  bones,  and  the 
roads  across  the  glaring  wilderness  are  lined  by  their 
bodies.  The  sun  had  risen  about  four  hours  when  the 
advance  guard  of  the  Ansar  spurred  hurriedly  back  to 
announce  that  the  town  was  in  sight,  and  very  shortly 
the  details  of  the  distant  shape  grew  clearer,  and  we 
espied  a  body  of  troops,  bearing  the  green-and-gold 
standard  of  the  Sultan,  riding  forth  to  welcome  us. 
They  were  gaudily  attired  in  bright  blue,  and,  as  they 
dashed  forward,  indulged  in  their  La'ab  al-Barut  (gun- 
powder play)  while  their  bright  shields  and  unsheathed 
swords  flashed  and  gleamed  in  the  sun,  as  now  and 
then  the  wind  parted  the  cloud  of  dust  and  smoke 
which  enveloped  them.  The  faint  sound  of  trumpets 
and  clash  of  cymbals  came  from  the  distant  city,  en- 
throned upon  the  horizon  a  dark  silhouette,  large  and 
long,  an  image  of  grandeur  in  immensity,  wherein  all  my 
hopes  were  centred,  and  as  we  approached  we  saw  that 
Mahaza,  the  Grand  Vizier,  had  been  sent  by  the  Sultan 
'Othman  to  give  us  peace  and  conduct  us  into  the 
Fada. 

My  master's  retinue,  consisting  as  it  did  of  nearly 
five  thousand  persons,  was  indeed  an  imposing  one,  and 
when  an  hour  later  we  entered  the  city  gate  and  passed 
up  the  hill  to  where  the  well-remembered  tower  of  the 
Fada  stood  white  against  the  intensely  blue  sky,  the 
brass  cannon  mounted  on  the  walls  belched  forth  thun- 
dering salutes,  and  a  cloud  of  soft  white  smoke  floated 
up  in  the  still,  warm  air.  Strange  it  was,  I  reflected, 
that  the  houses  of  Kano  everywhere  displayed  that  es- 
sential characteristic  of  early  Egyptian  art  —  the  pyra- 
midal form,  which  represented  solidity  to  those  ancient 
architects.  The  walls  of  the  oldest  constructions  had 


£famo  tbe  Dwarf.  83 

a  slight  inward  inclination,  and  possessed  no  windows, 
or  only  the  roughest  sketch  of  them.  Light  and  air 
entered  through  openings  cut  in  the  roof.  The  sum- 
mits of  the  dwellings  were  ornamented  by  those  trian- 
gular battlements  which  may  be  seen  on  the  palaces 
of  Rameses  Meiamoun.  The  pylon,  which  is  another 
characteristic  of  Egyptian  architecture,  gave  access  to 
the  dwellings.  In  short,  the  effect  of  the  whole,  their 
harmonious  proportions,  the  symmetrical  distribution 
of  their  ornamental  mottoes,  and  their  massiveness, 
proclaimed  the  art  of  Egypt,  bearing  out  the  legend 
that  the  people  of  Sokoto  came  originally  from  the  far 
east.  The  multitude  was  wild  with  excitement.  In 
their  eagerness  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  Khalifa,  world- 
famous  for  his  piety  and  his  cruelty,  they  rendered  the 
streets  almost  impassable,  shouting  themselves  hoarse 
in  welcome.  Blatant  tam-tams  beat  a  monotonous  ac- 
companiment to  the  roar  of  artillery,  and  as  the  Sul- 
tan's guest,  mounted  on  a  magnificent  camel  at  the 
head  of  his  black  Jihadieh,  passed  onward,  the  shout 
of  "  Alhahu  Akhbar  !  "  rose  from  fifty  thousand  throats, 
echoing  again  and  again.  Progress  was  slow  on  ac- 
count of  the  immense  crowds,  and  even  the  Sultan's 
spearmen,  who  preceded  us,  had  considerable  difficulty 
in  clearing  a  path.  Numbers  were  bruised,  kicked  by 
the  horses  or  fatally  injured  by  the  long  spears,  but 
they  were  left  unnoticed — a  mere  remark  "  Umru  Kha- 
las"  (It  is  the  end  of  life)  being  all  the  sympathy  ever 
offered.  Yet  the  impetuous  populace  continued  to  yell 
enthusiastic  words  of  welcome,  the  guns  thundered, 
and  the  three  stately  men  preceding  the  Khalifa  blew 
long,  piercing  blasts  on  their  immense  onbeias  fashioned 
from  elephants'  tusks. 

At  length,  on  arrival  at  the  great,  gloomy  portal  of 
the  Fada,  the  iron-studded  gates  suddenly  opened,  re- 


84  Gbe  Ege  of  Ustar. 


vealing  the  Sultan  'Othman  clad  in  golden  casque  and 
royal  robe  of  amaranth  velvet,  with  a  handsomely-  ca- 
parisoned, milk-white  horse  curveting  under  him,  and 
surrounded  by  his  gaudily-attired  bodyguards  and  mu- 
kuddums,  who  filled  the  air  with  their  adulations,  de- 
claring that  their  Imperial  master  was  Ma  al-Sama 
(the  splendor  of  Heaven). 

Alone  he  came  forward  wishing  his  guest  "  Peace  " 
in  a  loud  voice,  then  adroitly  dismounting,  embraced 
the  Khalifa.  Abdullah,  much  pleased  at  this  mark  of 
respect  and  homage,  greeted  him  warmly  and  ordered 
him  to  remount,  but  the  Sultan  remained  on  foot,  utter- 
ing some  rapid  instructions  to  his  emirs,  who  had  also 
dismounted  to  stand  beside  him, 

Passing  through  the  archway  into  the  great  outer 
court,  the  Jihadieh  and  the  Ansar  remaining  outside, 
we  all  dismounted  with  the  exception  of  my  royal  mas- 
ter and  the  ladies  of  his  harem,  whose  camels  were  led 
onward  to  the  inner  pavilion  that  had  been  set  apart 
for  them.  As  chief  of  the  mulazimin  I  followed  my 
royal  master,  and  as  we  passed  from  court  to  court, 
Janissaries,  eunuchs,  slaves  and  courtiers  made  salaam 
and  raised  their  voices  in  shouts  of  welcome.  The  re- 
ception was  throughout  marked  by  the  most  frantic 
enthusiasm,  even  the  two  gigantic  negro  mutes  at  the 
gate  of  the  Imperial  harem  —  who  usually  stood  with 
drawn  swords  motionless  as  statues  —  raising  their  hands 
to  give  peace  unto  the  great  Ruler  of  the  Soudan. 

The  extensive  palace  echoed  with  the  sounds  of 
feasting  and  merry-making.  The  Ansar  fraternized 
with  the  Janissaries,  the  Jihadieh  with  the  Sultan's 
bodyguards,  and  the  slaves  of  the  Sultan  'Othman  with 
those  of  the  Ruler  of  the  Soudan.  The  Khalifa,  as  re- 
ligious head  of  the  Dervishes  and  successor  of  the  holy 
Mahdi,  stood  upon  his  "  farwa  "  or  white  sheepskin, 


{Tfamo  tbe  swarf.  85 

under  the  shadow  of  an  ilex-tree  in  the  Court  of  the 
Eunuchs,  and  conducted  prayers  in  which  all  joined. 
Such  was  the  wild  fanaticism  and  enthusiasm  that  had 
prevailed  during  the  firing  of  salutes  that  several  men 
had  dashed  up  to  the  very  muzzles  of  the  guns  on  the 
walls  of  the  palace  and  were  blown  to  pieces.  The 
souls  of  these  unfortunate  people  had,  the  Khalifa  as- 
sured us,  gone  straight  to  Paradise,  there  to  have  their 
abode  among  lote-trees  free  from  thornsrand  fruitful 
trees  of  mauz,  under  an  extended  shade  near  a  flowing 
water  in  gardens  of  delight,  and  every  word  that  fell 
from  his  lips  was  regarded  as  the  utterance  of  a  prophet 
by  the  people  as  they  murmured  and  told  their  beads. 

After  prayers,  when  the  sura  entitled  "  The  Inevit- 
able "  had  been  recited,  a  great  feast  was  held  in 
the  Sultan's  sumptuous  pavilion.  The  Khalifa  was 
seated  on  his  Imperial  host's  right  hand,  and  over  five 
hundred  officials  and  courtiers  were  present.  The 
dishes  upon  which  the  viands  were  served  were  of 
beaten  gold,  the  goblets  of  chased  gold  studded  with 
gems,  while  in  the  centre  of  the  gilded  pavilion  a  large 
fountain  of  crystal  diffused  a  subtle  perfume.  Behind 
both  the  Sultan  and  his  guest  stood  court  tasters,  whi 
broke  the  seal  of  each  dish  and  ate  portions  of  the 
food  before  it  was  handed  to  their  masters,  lest  poison 
should  be  introduced. 

After  the  meal,  jugglers  entered  and  performed 
clever  feats  of  magic,  dancing-girls  of  every  tribe 
under  the  Sultan's  rule  performed  in  turn  various  terp- 
sichorean  feats  upon  the  great  mat  spread  in  the  centre 
of  the  pavilion,  and  to  the  loud  thumping  of  derboukas 
and  the  plaintive  twanging  of  curiously-shaped  stringed 
instruments,  they  danced  until  they  sank  upon  their 
cushions  from  sheer  exhaustion.  These  were  followed 
by  snake-charmers,  wrestlers  of  herculean  strength  and 


86  Gbe  JEge  of  Itetar. 

story-tellers — the  entertainment,  which  was  on  the 
most  lavish  scale,  being  continued  until,  at  the  going 
down  of  the  sun,  the  clear  voice  of  the  mueddin  was 
heard  droning  the  azan. 

The  leisure  at  my  disposal  when,  after  the  shadows 
lengthened  and  declined  into  the  glory  and  vivid  charm 
of  the  tropical  twilight  the  Khalifa  had  retired  to  his 
private  pavilion,  I  occupied  in  exploring  those  parts  of 
the  palace  to  which  I  had  free  access.  Its  vast  pro- 
portions and  its  sumptuous  decorations  and  appoint- 
ments surprised  me.  When,  on  the  previous  occasion, 
I  had  passed  through  its  great  arcaded  courts  I  was 
on  my  way  to  execution,  therefore  little  opportunity 
had  been  afforded  to  me  of  ascertaining  the  full  extent 
of  the  buildings  ;  but  now,  in  the  cool  evening  hour, 
as,  alone  and  thoughtful,  I  strolled  under  the  dark 
colonnades  and  across  the  great  open  squares  with  their 
tall  palms,  time-worn  fountains  and  wealth  of  roses,  I 
noted  its  magnificence. 

Around  me  on  every  side  were  sounds  of  revelry — 
barefooted  girls  were  trilling  and  quavering,  accom- 
panied by  noisy  tambourines  and  scrannel  pipes  of 
abominable  discordance  and  the  constant  beating  of 
derboukas  and  the  clapping  of  hands ;  but  holding 
aloof  from  my  companions,  I  wandered  from  court  to 
court  in  order  to  obtain  a  view  of  the  great  square 
tower  wherein  Azala's  chamber  was  situated.  At  last, 
on  entering  the  court  where  dwelt  the  serving-men  of 
the  Grand  Vizier  Mahaza,  the  tower  rose  high  in  the 
gathering  gloom.  From  which  of  its  small,  closely- 
barred  lattices  had  the  city  been  revealed  to  me  ? 
Halting  in  the  garden  and  looking  up  at  its  white 
walls,  I  tried  in  vain  to  recognize  the  window  of  the 
apartment  where  Azala  had  nursed  me  back  to  con- 
sciousness. Had  she,  I  wondered,  lonely  and  sad, 


tbe  Dwarf.  87 

watched  from  behind  the  lattice  the  festivities  in  the 
courts  below  ?  If  so,  might  she  not  discern  me  now, 
gazing  up  at  her  chamber,  and  by  some  means  or 
other  contrive  a  meeting  !  Yet  to  deceive  the  watch- 
fulness of  the  Grand  Eunuch  and  his  satellites  was 
impossible.  The  square  wherein  I  stood  was  almost 
deserted,  for  in  the  court  beyond  there  was  feasting 
and  marissa-drinking  among  the  Janissaries  and  the 
Jehadieh,  and  all  had  been  attracted  thither.  I  must 
have  been  standing  there,  oblivious  to  my  surround- 
ings, a  considerable  time,  for  it  had  grown  almost  dark, 
when  a  voice  behind  me  brought  me  back  to  a  knowl- 
edge of  things  about  me. 

"  Why  standest  thou  here  aloof  from  thy  comrades, 

0  friend  ?  "  the  voice  inquired,  and  on  turning  quickly 

1  was  confronted  by  a  black  dwarf,  whose  face   was 
the  most  hideous  my  eyes  had  ever  witnessed,  and  his 
crooked    stature    certainly   the   smallest.      His   head, 
which  scarcely  reached  to  my  hip,  seemed  too  large 
for  his   hump-backed  body,  while  his  hands  and  feet 
were  abnormal.     Indeed,  his  personal  appearance  was 
the  reverse  of  prepossessing,  even  though  he  was  well 
dressed  in  an  Arab  fez  and  a  robe  of  bright  blue  silk 
with  yellow  sash.     His  age  was  difficult  to  guess.     He 
might   have  been   any   age  between    thirty   and   fifty, 
but  his  thin,  squeaking  voice  suggested  senile   weak- 
ness.    His  smile   increased    his   ugliness  as,    perpetu- 
ally, his  eyes,  like  flaming  fire-lances,  darted  towards 
me. 

"  The  cool  air  of  this  thy  garden  is  refreshing  after 
the  heat  of  the  desert,"  I  replied  in  Arabic,  as  he  had 
addressed  me  in  that  language. 

"  But  I  have  been  watching  thee,"  the  human  mon- 
strosity continued,  looking  up  at  me  as  his  mouth  elon- 
gated, showing  an  even  set  of  white  teeth.  "While  thy 


88  Gbe  B^e  of  ffstat. 


fellows  have  been  making  merry  thou  hast  been  gazing 
up  at  yonder  lattice  ?  Hast  thou  seen  her  ?" 

"  Whom  dost  thou  mean  ?  "  I  inquired,  startled  that 
this  ugly  imp  should  be  aware  of  my  quest. 

"Affect  not  ignorance,"  he  said,  lowering  his  voice 
to  almost  a  whisper.  "Thou  hast  knowledge  as  full  as 
myself  that  high  up  yonder  there  dwelleth  the  Lalla 
Azala,  the  beauteous  daughter  of  his  Majesty." 

"Well,"  I  said,  anxiously,  "tell  me  of  her.  I  know 
so  little." 

"  She  hath  rescued  thee  from  death,  and  for  many 
moons  hath  awaited  thy  return.  She  sendeth  thee 
health  and  peace,"  he  answered,  slowly. 

"  But  how  dost  thou  know  my  innermost  secrets  ?  "  I 
inquired,  regarding  the  strange,  unearthly-looking 
figure  with  some  suspicion. 

"  Fear  not  betrayal,  O  friend,"  he  replied.  "  I  am 
called  Tiamo,  khaddan  (servitor)  of  the  Lalla  Azala, 
and  thy  devoted  servant.  By  day  and  night  alike  hath 
her  bright  eyes  sought  for  sign  of  thee,  for  she  ascer- 
tained, through  one  of  our  spies  in  Omdurman,  of  thy 
promotion  unto  the  chieftainship  of  the  Khalifa's  body- 
servants,  and  knew  that  thou  wouldst  accompany  him 
hither." 

"  Art  thou  bearer  of  a  message  from  her  ?  "  I  asked, 
bending  towards  him  in  eagerness. 

"  Yes.  Hers  is  indeed  a  joyless  life.  Through  .the 
long  day  hath  she  stood  at  her  lattice  trying  in  vain  to 
distinguish  thee  amid  the  crowds.  Yet  even  now  she 
is  most  probably  standing  there,  and  hath  recognized 
thee.  Yea.  Behold  !  "  he  cried,  excitedly.  "  See  ! 
There  is  the  sign  ?" 

I  strained  my  eyes  upward,  and  could  just  distin- 
guish in  the  darkness  something  white  fluttering  from 
a  lattice  high  up  near  the  summit  of  the  tower.  It 


Gfamo  tbe  Dwarf.  89 

showed  for  an  instant,  then  disappeared  ;  but  it  was 
sufficient  to  tell  me  that  I  was  not  forgotten. 

"  Such  means  of  communication  are  unsafe,"  the 
black  dwarf  growled,  as  if  to  himself. 

"  What  message  bearest  thou  ?  "  I  asked,  turning  to 
him  and  remarking  the  frown  of  displeasure  that  had 
overspread  his  hideous  countenance. 

"  The  One  of  Beauty  hath  ordered  me  to  tell  thee  to 
wait  patiently.  She  is  in  sore  peril,  being  so  zealously 
watched  by  eunuchs  and  harem-guards  that  at  present 
she  cannot  have  speech  with  thee.  Wait,  and  she  will 
communicate  with  thee  when  it  is  safe." 

"  What  is  the  nature  of  her  peril  ?  "  I  inquired. 

But  the  dwarf  frowned,  glanced  up  at  the  little  lattice 
to  assure  himself  that  there  was  no  longer  a  signal 
there,  sighed,  and  then  replied, — 

"  I  am  forbidden  to  tell  thee.  Rest  in  the  knowl- 
edge that  Tiamo,  her  servant  and  thine,  will  render 
thee  what  assistance  thou  requirest." 

"  Is  the  Lalla  so  carefully  guarded  that  none  can 
approach  her  ? "  I  asked,  as  together  we  moved  on  into 
the  adjoining  court,  where  the  fighting-men  were  mak- 
ing merry. 

"  Alas  !  "  he  answered,  "  she  leadeth  a  lonely  life. 
Forbidden  to  enter  the  great  Courts  of  Enchantment 
wherein  dwell  the  wives  and  houris  of  the  Sultan  amid 
every  luxury,  and  where  every  diversion  and  gaiety  is 
provided,  she  is  compelled  by  the  Sultan,  whom  she 
hath  displeased,  to  live  alone  with  her  companions, 
slaves  and  waiting-women,  in  the  rooms  in  yonder 
tower  until  such  time  as  she  shall  be  given  in  mar- 
riage." 

"  And  shall  I  see  her  ? " 

"  She  is  striving  toward  that  end,"  the  dwarf 
answered  briefly,  adding,  "  May  thine  Allah,  who  hath 


90  Gbe  Bge  of  Istat. 

created  seven  heavens,  and  as  many  different  stories 
of  the  earth,  keep  thee  in  peace  and  safety." 

Gradually  I  overcame  the  distrust  with  which  I  at 
first  regarded  the  hideous  little  pagan.  From  words 
he  let  drop  in  our  subsequent  conversation  it  was  evi- 
dent he  was  Azala's  trusted  servant,  and  was  no  doubt 
admitted  to  her  apartments  because  of  his  personal 
deformity  and  ugliness  of  countenance.  Until  near 
midnight  we  squatted  together  in  his  little  den  in  the 
Court  of  the  Eunuchs,  smoked,  drank  marissa  and 
chatted  ;  but  he  was  discreet,  silent  as  the  Sphinx 
upon  the  affairs  of  his  mistress,  and  to  all  my  questions 
made  the  stereotyped  reply,  "  Wait ;  a  message  will  be 
conveyed  unto  thee." 

Day  by  day,  amid  the  round  of  bountiful  entertain- 
ment, I  waited  in  patience,  glancing  ever  and  anon  up 
at  the  dwelling-place  of  the  woman  who  besought  my 
aid.  Still  no  message  came.  Sometimes  after  the  isha 
had  been  prayed  I  met  Tiamo,  but  to  all  inquiry  he  re- 
mained practically  dumb.  "  The  Lalla  is  still  unable  to 
see  thee,"  he  always  replied,  if  I  expressed  surprise  that 
the  promised  message  had  not  reached  me.  But  he 
would  invariably  add  a  word  of  hope,  expressing  regret 
that  circumstances  had  conspired  against  us. 

One  night,  after  superintending  the  duties  of  the 
mulazimin,  I  was  crossing  the  Court  of  the  Grand  Vizier 
when  Tiamo  hurriedly  approached  me.  By  his  face 
I  could  see  that  something  had  occurred,  and  as  he 
brushed  past  me  in  full  view  of  others  about  him  he 
whispered,  "  Come  to  me  one  hour  after  midnight." 
Then  he  walked  on  without  waiting  for  me  to  reply. 

Punctually  at  the  hour  appointed  I  entered  his  little 
den  with  beating  heart.  The  shutter  was  closed,  there- 
fore we  were  unobserved. 

"  Hasten.     There  is  but  brief  space,"  he  exclaimed 


Glamo  tbe  Dwarf.  9* 

quickly,  and  pulling  from  beneath  his  divan  a  blue  silk 
robe  and  yellow  turban  similar  to  those  worn  by  the 
eunuchs,  he  added,  "  Attire  thyself  in  these.  The  Lalla 
biddeth  thee  repair  unto  her  chamber." 

I  obeyed  him  without  doubt  or  hesitation. 

"  Now,  come  with  me,"  he  said,  when  at  last  I  had 
buckled  on  a  scimitar  and  thrust  my  feet  into  slippers 
of  crimson  leather,  and  together  we  went  out  into  the 
open  court. 

A  deep  silence  rested  on  the  great  palace,  broken 
only  by  the  cool  plashing  of  the  fountains  in  their  mar- 
ble basins.  The  heavens,  blue  as  a  sapphire,  were  pro- 
found and  mysterious.  Myriads  of  stars  twinkled-  in 
the  clear  depths  of  the  skies,  and  all  objects  were  de- 
fined with  a  wonderful  accuracy  in  the  silver  moon- 
light. The  Fada  was  hushed  in  sleep.  On  the  marble 
steps  of  the  Bab-Seadet,  the  gate  of  the  Imperial 
harem,  the  black  guards  stood  on  either  side,  mute, 
erect,  motionless,  their  naked  swords  gleaming  in  the 
moonbeams.  How  many  scenes  of  gorgeous  festivity 
had  been  witnessed  beyond  that  great  door  of  iron ! 
how  many  terrible  and  bloody  dramas  had  been  enacted 
within  those  grim,  gray  walls — dramas  of  love  and 
hatred,  of  ambition,  disappointment  and  revenge,  of  all 
the  fiercest  passions  of  the  human  heart  !  By  night 
and  day  the  bewitching  pearls  of  the  harem  intrigued, 
schemed  and  plotted — themselves,  through  their  Im- 
perial Master,  ruling  the  world  outside.  Too  often, 
alas  !  in  the  history  of  the  Empire  of  Sokoto  it  had  oc- 
curred that  some  dark  eye,  some  bewitching  face  mask- 
ing a  beautiful  slave's  ignorance  and  cunning,  had 
mastered  her  irresponsible  and  irresistible  lord,  and 
been  the  means  of  striking  off  the  heads  of  not  only  her 
rivals  within  the  harem,  but  those  of  even  the  wisest 
councillors  and  the  bravest  fighting-men  outside. 


92  Cbe  JE^e  of  ITstat. 

As  together  we  crossed  the  silent  court  our  echoing 
footsteps  broke  the  quiet.  In  the  gateway  of  the 
harem  a  single  light  glimmered  yellow  in  contrast  with 
the  white  moonbeams  ;  but  turning  our  backs  upon  it  we 
passed  through  one  court  after  another,  receiving 
salutes  from  the  guards  at  each  gateway.  My  disguise 
as  eunuch  was  complete,  and  as  we  strolled  onward 
without  apparent  haste  my  confidence  grew  until,  on 
crossing  the  Court  of  the  Armorers  and  entering  the 
Court  of  the  Pages,  we  discerned  a  white-robed  figure 
enveloped  in  a  haick  and  wearing  the  ugly  baggy 
trousers  which  are  the  out-door  garments  of  Moslem 
women. 

"  Behold  !  "  I  exclaimed,  with  bated  breath.  "  The 
Lalla  Azala  awaiteth  us  !  " 

"  No,"  answered  the  strange,  grotesque  being.  "  It 
is  her  mute  slave,  Ayesha.  Place  thyself  in  her  hands. 
She  will  conduct  thee  unto  her  mistress." 

As  we  advanced,  the  woman,  whose  face  I  could  not 
distinguish,  raised  her  hand  with  commanding  gesture, 
and  opening  a  small  door  beckoned  me  to  follow. 
This  I  did,  Tiamo  remaining  behind.  Across  many 
courts  and  through  several  doors,  which  the  woman 
carefully  bolted  after  us,  we  sped  until,  skirting  a 
pretty  garden  where  pomegranates,  almonds,  cypresses 
and  myrtles  alternated  regularly,  and  roses  in  full 
bloom  embowered  the  long  alley,  we  came  to  a  door  in 
a  wall  near  the  tower.  Having  looked  well  around  to 
see  that  nobody  remarked  us,  she  introduced  me  into  a 
passage  so  small  that  I  was  compelled  to  bend  to  enter 
it.  Taking  up  a  lamp  that  had  apparently  been  placed 
there  in  readiness,  she  went  on  before,  and  I  followed 
through  some  intricate  wanderings ;  then,  instead  of 
ascending,  we  began  to  go  down  a  flight  of  broken 
stone  steps. 


of  lEblis.  93 

The  air  became  hot  and  stifling,  and  foul  odors  rose 
from  the  place  into  which  we  were  descending.  Sud- 
denly a  loud,  piercing  shriek  of  pain  sounded  weirdly, 
followed  by  another  and  yet  another.  Then  I  recog- 
nized the  uneven  steps  as  those  leading  to  the  foul 
dungeon  with  its  maniac  prisoners. 

The  rough,  exultant  laugh  of  my  enemy,  Khazneh, 
reached  my  ears  from  below,  mingled  with  the  implor- 
ing cry  of  some  unfortunate  wretch  who  was  undergo- 
ing torture.  Next  second  a  suspicion  flashed  across 
my  mind  that  I  had  been  betrayed. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

MYSTERIES  OF   EBLIS. 

MY  mute  conductress  halted,  listened  intently,  then 
placed  her  finger  significantly  on  her  lips.  As  she 
turned  her  half-veiled  face  towards  me  I  saw  in  the 
flickering  lamplight  that  her  tattooed  forehead  was 
brown  and  wizened,  that  her  dark,  gleaming  eyes  were 
deeply  sunken,  and  that  her  hand  holding  the  lamp  was 
thin,  brown  and  bony. 

The  sounds  that  alarmed  us  ceased,  and,  after  wait- 
ing a  few  moments,  scarce  daring  to  breathe,  she  de- 
scended several  more  stairs  to  a  turn  in  the  flight,  and 
I  found  myself  before  a  small,  black  door,  which  she 
quickly  opened  and  closed  again  after  we  had  passed 
through.  Raising  her  finger  to  command  silence,  she 
moved  along  a  narrow  passage  and  then  there  com- 
menced a  toilsome  ascent  over  great,  roughly-hewn 
steps  that  I  well  remembered  descending  when,  in  the 
clutches  of  my  captors,  I  had  been  roughly  dragged 


94  Gbe  jE^e  of  fistar. 

from  the  apartment  of  my  enchantress.  With  a  nim- 
bleness  that  showed  a  familiarity  with  their  unevenness, 
she  mounted,  while  I  stumbled  on  behind,  nearly  com- 
ing to  grief  once  or  twice,  and  being  compelled  to  save 
myself  with  my  hands.  In  my  eagerness  to  meet  the 
woman  who  had  entranced  me,  upward  I  toiled,  until 
my  breath  came  and  went  in  short,  quick  gasps,  and  I 
was  forced  to  rest  a  moment,  while  she  also  halted, 
smiling  and  turning  the  lamp  towards  me.  The  intri- 
cacies of  these  secret  passages  were  puzzling  and 
fatiguing,  and  I  was  anxious  to  pass  into  the  well-re- 
membered room  wherein  the  Sultan's  daughter  had, 
during  so  many  weary  moons,  awaited  me. 

At  last  we  stood  before  a  door  secured  by  a  large 
iron  bar,  so  heavy  that  old  Ayesha  could  not  draw  it 
from  its  socket,  but  quickly  I  removed  the  barrier. 
The  slave  who  had  acted  as  my  guide  opened  the  door, 
drew  aside  the  heavy  curtain,  and  then  stepping  for- 
ward I  found  myself  once  again  before  the  bright-eyed 
girl  who  desired  my  aid. 

The  place  was  dimly  illumined  by  great  hanging 
lamps  of  gold,  which  shed  a  soft  and  dubious  light 
through  cut  crystals  of  green  and  crimson,  and  the  air 
was  sweetly  scented  by  the  odors  of  musk  and  cinna- 
mon rising  from  the  perfuming-pans.  Azala,  pale  and 
beautiful,  in  her  gorgeous  harem  dress,  with  arms, 
ankles  and  neck  laden  with  jewels,  was  reclining  with 
languorous  grace  upon  her  divan  of  light  blue  satin 
fringed  with  gold,  that  was  placed  in  the  alcove  at  the 
end  of  the  apartment,  her  wealth  of  dark  hair  straying 
in  profusion  over  the  great,  tasselled  cushion  of  yellow 
silk.  Her  feet,  tiny  and  well-formed,  were  bare,  her 
pearl-embroidered  slippers  having  been  kicked  aside, 
her  pipe  stood  near,  and  upon  a  coffee-stool  of  ebony 
and  gold  stood  a  large  silver  dish  of  rare  fruit,  while 


of  Bblte.  95 

kneeling  beside  her  was  a  black  female  slave  cooling 
her  slowly  with  a  fan  of  peacock's  feathers.  Unnoticed 
by  her,  I  stood  for  a  few  seconds,  bewitched  by  her 
loveliness  as  she  lay  there  in  graceful  abandon,  her  body 
saturated  with  perfumes,  her  soul  filled  with  prayers. 

"  Welcome,  O  Zafar  !  Allah  favoreth  us  !  "  she  cried 
excitedly,  springing  to  her  feet  the  instant  she  recog-, 
nized  me,  and,  rushing  across,  grasping  both  my  hands. 
"  Thou  hast  brought  happiness  with  thee." 

"At  last,  Azala,"  I  said,  clasping  her  soft  hands 
tende/ly,  and  gazing  into  those  brilliant  black  eyes 
that  seemed  to  delight  in  the  anxious  curiosity  which 
they  aroused  in  my  features.  "Of  a  verity  Allah  is 
all-powerful  and  all-merciful.  Our  destinies  are  writ- 
ten in  the  Book,  and  therefore  what  is  there  left  but  to 
submit  ?  For  many  moons  have  I  striven  to  seek  thee, 
to  redeem  the  pledge  I  made  unto  thee,  and  now  at 
last  is  our  meeting  accomplished." 

Noticing  that  I  looked  askance  at  the  presence  of 
Ayesha  and  the  young  negress,  she  waved  her  hand  to 
them  to  retire.  Then,  when  the  curtains  had  fallen 
behind  them,  she  led  me  slowly  to  her  divan,  saying  in 
serious  tones,  "  Come  hither,  O  Zafar,  I  would  have 
long  and  serious  speech  with  thee." 

She  having  ensconced  herself  comfortably  among  her 
rich,  downy  cushions,  I  seated  myself  beside  her,  and 
as  one  arm  stole  around  her  slim  waist,  encircled  by 
its  bejewelled  girdle,  I  drew  her  tenderly  towards  me 
with  the  intention  of  imprinting  on  her  white,  sequin- 
covered  brow  a  passionate  caress.  Gently  but  firmly 
she  disengaged  herself  from  my  embrace.  At  first  the 
marvellous  beauty  of  my  divinity  held  me  spell-bound, 
but  fortified  by  her  smile  I  found  courage  to  pour  out 
a  rhapsody  of  love  and  admiration,  to  which  she  lis- 
tened, blushing  deeply. 


96  ftbe  i£ye  of  Ifetar. 

Thus,  in  the  bliss  of  whispering  love,  we  forgot  the 
heavy  sorrows  oppressing  us,  and  put  aside  all  appre- 
hension for  the  present  and  all  care  for  the  future. 

After  a  recital  of  my  adventures  on  being  torn  from 
her  presence,  I  told  her  how  wearily  the  hours  had 
passed  and  of  my  mad  desire  to  be  again  at  her  side,  to 
which  she  answered, — 

"  In  thee,  O  Zafar,  have  I  placed  my  trust.  The  sun 
of  the  favor  of  the  One  Merciful  shineth  upon  us, 
therefore  let  us  abandon  all  fear." 

"  The  firmament  possesseth  but  one  sun,  and  the  Em- 
pire of  Sokoto  but  one  Princess.  That  life,  light,  joy 
and  prosperity  may  attend  thee  is  my  most  fervent  de- 
sire." 

"  May  perfect  peace  attend  thee  in  the  rose-grove  of 
thine  happiness/"  she  answered,  turning  towards  me 
the  most  beautiful  face  that  Allah  had  ever  formed. 
"  For  many  moons  have  I  waited  at  yonder  lattice  for 
thy  coming,  knowing  full  well  that  thou  art  ready  to 
serve  me." 

"  Ay,  ready  to  serve  thee,  O  Pearl  of  Sokoto,"  I  said 
fervently.  "  I  love  only  thee,  and  am  thy  slave." 

She  was  toying  in  hesitation  with  her  broad  gold 
armlet  that  contained  a  talisman.  Spells  and  charms 
are  believed  in  as  strongly  by  the  ladies  of  Kano  as 
those  of  Omdurman.  The  eye  and  knuckle-bone  of  a 
fox  hung  upon  the  neck  of  a  boy  gives  him  courage  ; 
its  fat  rubbed  on  a  woman  will  convert  her  husband's 
love  into  indifference.  The  dried  liver  of  a  cat  is  be- 
lieved to  bring  back  the  love  of  a  desired  object  to  the 
person  who  possesses  it ;  the  skin  of  its  nose,  if  worn 
on  the  ankle,  is  a  preventive  against  murder  by  poi- 
son ;  while  its  ashes,  if  taken  internally,  will  give  all 
the  shrewd,  cunning  qualities  of  the  cat.  The  one 
Azala  wore  was  the  kus  kaftar — a  portion  of  the  dried 


of  ;6blte.  97 

skin  of  a  female  leopard  one  moon  old,  which  always 
bears  the  greatest  price  in  the  seraglios,  because,  if 
worn  on  the  arm,  it  is  believed  to  conciliate  the  affec- 
tions of  all  to  its  wearer ;  and  as  she  fingered  it  she 
uttered  some  kind  of  incantation  that  I  failed  to  under- 
stand. 

Her  head  had  fallen  back  upon  the  great  gold- 
tasselled  pillow,  and  with  her  white  arm  thrown  out 
above  she  looked  up  smiling  into  my  face,  uttering 
words  of  courage,  declaring  that  I  was  the  only  man 
she  had  ever  asked  to  perform  a  service. 

"  But,"  she  added,  suddenly  raising  herself  into  a 
sitting  position  and  gazing  straight  into  my  eyes,  "  how 
little — how  very  little  we  are  thinking  of  the  deadly 
peril  which  threateneth  us  !  Both  of  us  are  confident 
in  each  other's  love  ;  but,  alas  !  no  safety  can  there  be 
until  the  Great  Secret  be  solved." 

"  What  secret  ? "  I  asked,  endeavoring  to  read  her 
story  in  her  brilliant  eyes. 

"  The  Secret  of  the  Asps,"  she  answered,  in  a  calm, 
low  tone.  "  The  secret  of  the  strange,  mysterious 
mark  that  is  upon  my  breast  and  thine.  When  it  is 
solved,  then  only  may  peace  be  ours." 

"Tell  me  all  thou  knowest  regarding  the  curious  im- 
print," I  said  eagerly,  lifting  her  bejewelled  hand  and 
pressing  it  tenderly.  "  Now  that  I  am  thy  best  be- 
loved, ready  to  serve  thee  blindly  and  implicitly,  surely 
I  may  know  the  secret  of  things  concerning  both  of 
us,"  I  argued. 

But  with  a  sigh  she  answered,  "  No.  Some  knowl- 
edge hath  been  conveyed  to  me  upon  condition  that  I 
should  preserve  its  secret  until  such  time  as  the  mys- 
tery shall  be  elucidated.  Suffice  it  to  thee  to  know 
that  thou  art  the  person  to  whom  the  truth  may  be  re- 
vealed if  thou  hast  forbearance  and  courage." 


98  Gbe  JEge  of  ITetar. 

"  Will  any  act  of  mine  place  about  thee  the  walls  of 
security  and  the  stillness  of  peace?"  I  inquired,  with 
eagerness. 

"Already  have  I  told  thee  that,  if  thou  wilt,  thou 
canst  save  me." 

"  From  what  destiny  ?" 

"  From  one  unknown,  yet  horrible — undecided,  yet 
terrible,"  she  answered,  hoarsely. 

"  Then  I  am  thine  to  command,  O  Azala,"  I  answered. 
"  In  Zafar  thou  hast  a  servant  who  will  serve  thee  with 
faith  and  fearlessness,  unto  even  the  uttermost  ends  of 
the  earth." 

"  When  the  dawn  cometh  we  shall  be  compelled  to 
part,  for  full  well  thou  knowest  what  fate  awaiteth  thee 
if  thou  wert  discovered  by  Khazneh  or  his  brutal  myr- 
midons," she  said,  slowly.  "  But  ere  we  bid  each  other 
farewell  we  have  much  to  arrange,  for  upon  the  success 
of  our  plans  dependeth  whether  our  hands  again  clasp 
in  welcome,  or  our  lips  meet  in  salutation.  In  receiv- 
ing thee  here  I  have  run  many  risks  in  common  with 
thee.  If  our  enemies  conveyed  word  unto  the  Sultan, 
assuredly  would  the  vials  of  his  wrath  be  poured  out 
upon  me,  and  he  would  execute  his  threat  of  giving  me 
in  marriage  to  some  common  soldier  of  the  palace- 
guard." 

"  Has  his  Majesty  given  utterance  to  such  a  threat  ? " 

"Yea.  Because  I  fell  into  the  displeasure  of 
Khadidja,  the  scheming  slave  who  now  ruleth  the 
harem  as  his  chief  wife,  I  became  banished  from  the 
Courts  of  Enchantment.  Indeed,  only  by  the  interces- 
sion of  mine  own  mother,  who  hath  long  ago  been  de- 
posed from  her  position  of  Sultana,  and  is  now  a  mere 
slave,  compelled  to  wash  the  feet  of  many  who  once 
served  her,  was  I  spared  the  indignity  of  being  cast  out 
from  the  palace  and  given  as  drudge  to  one  of  the  horse- 


of  Eblte,  99 

men  who  guard  the  Kofa-n-Kura.  Indeed,  the  hand  of 
misfortune  hath  fallen  heavily  upon  me,"  and  she  drew 
a  long  sigh,  as  in  deep  thought  her  pointed  chin  rested 
in  her  dainty  palm. 

"  What  was  the  nature  of  thine  offence  ?  "  I  inquired, 
interested. 

"  Involuntarily  I  acted  as  eaves-dropper.  One  morn- 
ing, lying  in  my  hammock  in  a  corner  of  the  harem- 
garden  where  the  rose-bushes  grow  thickly,  I  suddenly 
heard  voices  beyond.  One  I  recognized  as  that  of 
Khadidja,  and  the  two  others  those  of  Shekerleb  and 
Leilah,  Arab  slaves.  Listening,  I  heard  them  discuss 
in  detail  an  ingenious  plot  they  had  arranged  to  poison 
my  mother,  myself  and  three  others,  for  Khadidja  ex- 
pressed herself  determined  to  be  supreme  mistress  of 
the  seraglio.  Appalled  by  this  bold  scheme  of  whole- 
sale revenge,  I  lay  silent,  scarce  daring  to  breathe,  but 
when  they  had  left  I  went  straightway  to  the  Sultan 
and  in  my  mother's  presence  explained  all  to  him.  The 
woman  Khadidja  was  brought  before  him,  but  denied 
the  accusation,  swore  on  the  Koran  that  she  had  not 
walked  into  the  garden  that  morning,  and  brought 
Shekerleb  and  Leilah  to  corroborate  her  false  state- 
ment. My  father  was  convinced  of  her  innocence, 
and  believed  also  her  allegation  that  a  plot  hatched  by 
my  mother  was  on  foot  to  encompass  her  death.  He 
grew  angry,  degraded  my  unfortunate  mother  from  her 
position  of  Sultana  to  the  meanest  slavery,  and  subse- 
quently banished  me  to  the  loneliness  of  this  high 
abode." 

"  Of  a  verity  thy  lot,  O  beloved,  hath  been  an  un- 
happy one,  but  let  us  now  look  forward  to  the  dawn  of 
a  joyous  day,  to  a  noonday  of  prosperity,  and  to  a  sun- 
set of  peace.  Azala,  I  love  thee,"  and  as  our  lips  met 
for  the  first  time  in  a  hot,  passionate  kiss,  her  bare, 


ioo  ZTbe  EBe  of  letat. 


scented  chest,  with  its  profusion  of  jewels,  rose  and  fell 
with  an  emotion  she  was  unable  to  suppress. 

In  the  dead,  unbroken  silence  that  followed,  the  dis- 
tant roll  of  a  drum,  and  the  cry  of  the  sentinels  on  the 
watch-towers  at  the  city  gates  came  up  through  the 
silk-curtained  lattice,  announcing  that  another  hour 
had  passed. 

"  Harken,"  she  cried  quickly,  springing  to  her  feet, 
clutching  me  by  the  arm,  and  looking  earnestly  into  my 
face.  "  We  have  but  brief  space  wherein  to  plan  our 
emancipation.  Fearest  thou  to  investigate  the  mys- 
teries of  Eblis,  or  to  serve  his  handmaiden  ?  " 

"  Fear  dwelleth  not  in  mine  heart  when  the  Pearl  of 
Sokoto  is  nigh,"  I  answered  gallantly,  bending  to  kiss 
her  hand. 

"  Even  though  thy  Pearl  may  be  daughter  of  the  Evil 
One,  and  able  to  accomplish  things  superhuman  ?  " 
she  asked,  in  a  strange,  harsh  voice. 

"  He  who  believeth  in  the  one  Allah  and  in  his 
Prophet,  holdeth  in  his  hand  a  two-edged  sword  against 
the  Ghul  (Devil)  and  all  the  evil  spirits  of  Al-Hawiyat," 
I  replied,  surprised  at  this  latter  speech,  and  at  the 
strange,  haggard  look  that  had  suddenly  overspread 
her  beautiful  countenance.  "  At  the  moment  before 
our  enemy  Khazneh  laid  hands  upon  me,  thou  didst 
promise  to  reveal  unto  me  some  hidden  marvel,  the 
nature  of  which  thou  wouldst  not  disclose.  For  that 
purpose  have  I  come  hither,  and  now  await  the  fulfil- 
ment of  thy  promise." 

Grasping  my  right  wrist  and  looking  into  my  face 
with  eyes  that  seemed  to  emit  fire,  so  strangely  brilliant 
were  they,  she  said,  — 

"  Hast  thou  no  fear  of  the  future,  or  of  the  power  of 
the  Evil  Eye  ?  " 

"  The  curse  of  Eblis  himself  shall  not  deter  me  from 


Of 

seeking  to  fathom  the  Mystery  of  the  Asps.  A  voice 
that  is  dead  hath  commanded  me,  and  I  shall  obey, 
even  though  I  am  compelled  to  engage  Azrael  in  single 
combat.  There  is  some  strange  secret  in  the  mystic 
links  that  bind  our  existence— a  secret  I  intend  to 
discover  at  any  hazard." 

"  Bravely  spoken,  O  Zafar,"  she  answered,  her  cheeks 
flushing  with  excitement  and  her  sequins  tinkling 
musically  as  she  moved.  "  Thine  heart  is  true  as  thy 
trusty  Masser  blade.  May  it  be  the  will  of  Allah,  who 
made  the  earth  for  a  carpet,  that  thy  courage  never 
fail  thee  in  thine  attempt  to  rescue  me  from  the  plots 
that  encompass  me,  and  to  penetrate  the  veil  that  hath 
so  long  hidden  the  truth  of  the  entwined  serpents." 
She  raised  her  face  with  a  fond,  wistful  look. 

Our  lips  met,  and  with  her  arms  about  my  neck  she 
clung  to  me,  trembling,  as  if  in  fear.  Then,  fortifying 
herself  for  an  effort,  she  slowly  withdrew  from  my 
embrace,  and  led  me  across  to  the  heavily-curtained 
door  of  the  inner  chamber,  saying, — 

"  Thou  hast  declared  thyself  fearless  and  undaunted 
in  the  coming  fight  to  possess  the  secret  which  none 
may  know,  even  though  it  is  imperative  that  thou 
shouldst  pass  barriers  hitherto  considered  by  all  insur- 
mountable. Truly  thou  art  wort"hy  a  woman's  love." 

"  Thou  knowest  how  the  unquenchable  fire  of  love 
burneth  within  me,  O  light  of  mine  eyes,"  I  answered, 
in  fervent  adoration.  "  With  thee  as  the  sun  of  my 
firmament,  and  with  a  stout  heart  within  me,  I  am  not 
afraid." 

For  answer  she  turned,  and  with  her  hand  upon  the 
curtain,  said, — 

"  Come  hither.  As  a  preliminary  to  thine  encounter 
with  the  Invisible,  I  will  reveal  unto  thee  an  undreamed 
of  marvel  that  will  cause  thine  eyes  to  open  wide  in 


Gbe  Bse  of  Hetar. 


wonderment,  and  thine  heart  to  cease  its  beating. 
Fear  abideth  not  within  thee.  Enter  therefore  this 
portal  whereat  Malec,  powerful  yet  invisible,  mounteth 
guard,  and  learn  the  means  by  which  the  Mystery  of 
the  Asps  may  be  unravelled." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE   PRISM    OF   DESTINY. 

WITH  sudden  movement  she  drew  aside  the  silken 
curtain,  and  we  stepped  into  a  small,  dark,  stone  cham- 
ber, almost  a  cell.  Then  with  a  word  of  warning  she 
guided  my  footsteps  to  a  narrow  flight  of  stairs,  which 
she  descended  with  caution,  her  golden  anklets  jingling 
as  she  went.  As  I  followed,  there  clung  about  her 
soft  draperies  those  sweet  perfumes  of  the  harem,  the 
fragrance  of  which  had  intoxicated  me. 

Again  she  flung  back  a  second  heavy  curtain  that 
barred  a  horse-shoe  arch  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  when 
instantly  my  eyes  "were  blinded  by  a  flood  of  brilliant 
light.  Under  my  feet  I  felt  a  carpet  so  thick  that  my 
slipper  sank  deep  into  it,  and  gradually  as  my  dazzled 
vision  grew  accustomed  to  the  unusual  glare,  I  realized 
that  I  was  ir>  a  chamber  about  the  size  of  the  one  we 
had  just  quitted,  but  decorated  entirely  in  bright 
green,  the  hue  of  which,  reflected  into  Azala's  anxious 
countenance,  gave  her  a  complexion  pallid  and  ghastly. 
The  walls  and  ceiling  were  painted  green,  with  good 
counsels  from  the  Koran  in  long,  lean  letters  of  darker 
shade,  the  divans  and  cushions  were  of  green  silk,  the 
stools  of  malachite,  the  large  alcoves  at  the  end  fash- 
ioned from  dark  green  marble,  beautifully  carved, 


Cbe  prism  of  Destiny.  103 

while  a  malachite  table,  shaped  like  a  crescent,  near 
the  end  of  the  apartment,  was  studded  with  huge  green 
crystals  that  glittered  in  the  light  like  emeralds.  The 
effect  was  weird  and  startling,  for  the  bright  white 
light  came  from  a  thousand  lamps  cunningly  arranged 
overhead,  while  screens  of  glass,  the  color  of  the  deep 
sea,  shot  from  the  walls  slanting  beams  of  brilliant 
green. 

The  place  was  luxurious,  yet,  as  I  gazed  around  it,  I 
could  not  repress  a  shudder. 

"  Go  !  Take  thine  ease  upon  yonder  divan,"  Azala 
said  in  a  strange  voice,  pointing  to  the  great  couch 
within  the  alcove,  and  as  I  obeyed  her,  she  took  from 
her  arm  the  gold  band  with  its  talisman  of  leopard's 
skin  and  handed  it  to  me.  Apparently  she  dare  not 
wear  it  there. 

Standing  in  the  centre  of  the  curious  chamber,  she 
clapped  her  hands  loudly,  and  instantly  a  curtain  op- 
posite was  drawn  aside,  and  there  appeared  the  ugly, 
hunchbacked  form  of  the  grinning  dwarf,  Tiamo,  fol- 
lowed by  two  female  Arab  slaves  handsomely  dressed 
in  tissue  of  white  and  gold,  and  wearing  long  strings 
of  talismans,  and  embroidered  bags  containing  myste- 
rious powders,  cabalistic  figures,  and  prayers  in  the 
language  of  Maghrib. 

The  trio,  advancing,  knelt  before  their  mistress,  and 
with  a  murmured  blessing  kissed  her  feet,  prostrating 
themselves  before  her. 

"  Rise,"  she  commanded,  almost  breathless  with  ex- 
citement. "  Know  ye  that  in  one  brief  hour  the  dawn 
will  show  in  the  direction  of  the  holy  city.  Speed 
therefore  on  the  wings  of  haste  and  execute  my  will." 

"  We,  thy  slaves,  obey  thee,  O  Mistress,"  they  an- 
swered with  one  accord,  and,  rising,  disappeared  for  a 
few  moments.  The  two  girls  presently  came  forth 


104  £be  JEge  of  ITstar. 

bearing  between  them  a  huge  golden  bowl  full  of  some 
sweet  yet  pungent  perfume,  which  they  set  on  a  tripod 
upon  the  table  of  green  malachite  while  Tiamo  pro- 
duced a  small  golden  brazier  which  he  lit  and  placed 
beneath  the  bowl.  Then  the  girls  produced  green- 
painted  derboukas,  and  seating  themselves  upon  the 
mats  at  the  horns  of  the  crescent-shaped  table,  com- 
menced a  monotonous  thumping  on  their  drums,  while 
the  hideous  dwarf,  grinning  from  ear  to  ear,  beat  a 
rapid  tatoo  upon  a  double  tambourine  or  kalango,  all 
three  chanting  a  weirdly-intoned  accompaniment. 

The  curious  spectacle  held  me  on  the  tiptoe  of  ex- 
pectation, for  while  the  music  was  continued  with  a 
regularity  that  quickly  became  monotonous,  Azala 
stood  with  her  bejewelled  hands  outstretched  over  the 
bowl,  repeating  some  words  in  the  Hausa  tongue  which 
I  could  not  understand.  Her  face  had  now  grown 
deathly  pale  ;  surrounding  her  eyes  were  large,  dark 
rings  that  betrayed  the  terrible  anxiety  at  her  heart. 
As  the  golden  bowl  became  heated,  the  colorless  liquid 
perfume  gave  off  a  vapor  so  pungent  that  it  caused 
water  to  well  in  my  eyes  and  my  head  to  swim  as  if  I 
had  drunk  marissa  too  freely.  I  was  afraid  to  rise  to 
my  feet  lest  I  should  stagger  and  fall,  so  upon  the 
edge  of  the  divan  I  sat  entranced  and  fascinated.  The 
brighter  the  brazier  grew  the  more  dimly  burned  the 
lamps  above  until  the  brilliant  light  vanished  and  we 
remained  in  a  semi-darkness,  made  brighter  now  and 
then  by  the  uncertain  flicker  of  the  fire.  Emerald 
crystals  everywhere  in  ceiling  and  walls  flashed  like 
jewels  with  a  bright  green  brilliance  each  time  the 
flames  shot  up,  producing  a  weird  and  dazzling  effect, 
while  in  the  shadow  Azala  prostrated  herself,  uttering 
an  appeal  to  some  power  enseen. 

Eagerly  I  watched  the  next  development  of  this  re- 


"AS   SHE   DID   THIS   A   BRIGHT    FLASH,    BUNDING   AS    LIGHTNING, 
SHOT   THROUGH    THE   CHAMBER." — Page  105. 


prism  of  Beeting,  105 

markable  experiment.  Suddenly  the  woman  I  loved 
struggled  to  her  feet  and  with  her  right  forefinger 
touched  the  edge  of  the  steaming  bowl.  As  she  did 
this,  a  bright  flash,  blinding  as  lightning,  shot  through 
the  chamber,  causing  the  music  to  cease  and  the  slaves, 
awe-stricken,  to  bow  their  heads  until  their  brows 
touched  the  carpet. 

"  Malec,  iron-hearted  Janitor  of  Hell,  hath  been 
overthrown  !  "  they  exclaimed,  in  voices  hushed  in 
fear. 

Again  was  the  flash  repeated  as  Azala's  hand  touched 
the  edge  of  the  bowl  of  repousse  gold,  and  the  slaves 
gasped  in  Arabic, — 

"  Lo  !  the  Guardian  of  Al-Hawiyat  is  vanquished  by 
the  sword  of  Eblis  !  " 

Then,  a  third  time  my  eyes  became  dazzled  by  the 
sudden  brilliance  which  apparently  proceeded  from  the 
great  basin  of  perfume,  and  the  slaves  lifted  their 
voices,  saying, — 

"  The  Pillars  of  Hell  have  indeed  fallen  ! — the  sword 
of  Eblis  is  sheathed,  and  Malec,  trembling,  hath  hidden 
his  dog's  face  before  the  incomparable  beauty  of  her 
Highness,  the  Lalla  Azala  !  " 

Tiamo,  whom  Azala  addressed  as  El-Sadie  (the  Sin- 
cere), rose  at  the  bidding  of  his  mistress.  With  her 
hand  pressed  to  her  heart,  as  if  to  stay  its  wild  beating, 
she  stood  close  to  me  with  her  face  upturned  and  her 
lips  moving  as  if  invoking  the  aid  of  some  unseen 
power. 

"  Behold  !  "  she  cried,  with  a  suddenness  that  caused 
me  to  start.  "  Behold,  the  Prism  of  Destiny  !  "  And 
as  the  words  fell  from  her  white,  trembling  lips,  there 
was  a  wild  noise  like  the  rushing  of  great  waters,  and  a 
circular  portion  of  the  wall  of  the  chamber  directly 
opposite  appeared  to  fall  asunder,  disclosing  a  huge 


of  1T0tar. 

gold  ring,  within  which,  placed  perpendicularly,  was  a 
large  crystal  prism,  the  length  of  a  man's  body,  which, 
as  it  revolved  in  its  setting,  showed  all  the  gorgeous 
hues  of  the  spectrum  with  a  rapidity  that  was  bewil- 
dering. 

Azala,  standing  motionless,  gazed  at  it,  while  the 
slaves  remained  kneeling  with  eyes  riveted  upon  it  in 
fear  and  expectation.  Propelled  by  some  unseen 
agency,  it  revolved  noiselessly  within  its  golden  circle, 
emitting  shafts  of  multi-colored  light  that  illumined 
parts  of  the  strange  chamber,  leaving  the  remainder  in 
deepest  shadow.  Gradually,  however,  the  speed  with 
which  the  great  crystal  turned  slackened,  and  Azala, 
advancing  towards  me,  placed  her  hand  lightly  upon 
my  shoulder,  exclaiming  in  a  low,  intense  tone, — 

"  Lo  !  that  which  we  sought  is  revealed  !  Behold  ! 
before  us  is  the  forbidden  Prism  of  Destiny,  into  which 
none  may  gaze  without  incurring  the  displeasure  of 
the  One  Merciful,  and  the  curse  of  Eblis  the  Terrible." 

The  lights  flashing  full  upon  my  face  seemed  to 
enthral  my  senses,  for  her  words  sounded  distant,  dis- 
cordant and  indistinct.  But  a  sudden  exclamation  of 
hers  aroused  me. 

"  See  !  "  she  cried,  pointing  to  the  three-sided  crystal. 
"  Its  motion  steadies  !  It  mirrors  life  in  its  wondrous 
depths,  but  those  who  dare  discern  their  future  ofttimes 
pay  the  penalty  of  their  folly  by  being  struck  with 
blindness,  and  ignominy  attendeth  them.  Allah,  though 
merciful,  is  just,  and  it  is  written  in  the  Book  of  Ever- 
lasting Will  that  we  may  know  nought  of  the  hereafter, 
save  what  holy  writ  teacheth  us." 

"  But  how  is  the  extraordinary  effect  produced  ? "  I 
asked,  marvelling  greatly  at  the  curious  chimera,  for 
though  it  appeared  but  a  phantom,  the  prism  actually 
revolved,  and  the  illusion  could  not  be  caused  by 


ipriem  of  Besting.  107 

reflected  light,  as  I  at  first  had  been  inclined  to  be- 
lieve. 

"  By  offering  sacrifice  to  Eblis,"  she  answered,  look- 
ing into  my  eyes,  an  intoxicating  gaze  of  promise,  tri- 
umph, tenderness.  On  her  lips  dawned  a  smile  which 
was  pledge  of  the  future — the  future  all  light,  all  hope, 
all  love.  Then,  pointing  to  the  boiling  bowl,  she  said, 
"  He  giveth  sight  of  it  to  those  of  his  slaves  and  hand- 
maidens who  invoke  his  aid." 

"Art  thou  actually  one  of  his  handmaidens?"  I 
gasped  in  fear,  amazed  to  observe  that  her  beauty 
seemed  to  gradually  fade,  leaving  her  face  yellow,  care- 
lined  and  withered. 

"  I  am,"  she  answered  in  a  deep,  discordant  voice. 
"  Once  before,  after  thou  wert  taken  from  me,  the 
Prism  of  Destiny  made  its  revelation.  The  tempta- 
tion to  gaze  therein  proved  too  great,  and,  alas  !  I  fell." 

"  What  didst  thou  discern  ?  "  I  eagerly  inquired,  my 
eyes  still  fixed  in  fascination  upon  the  mysterious,  rotat- 
ing crystal,  my  senses  gradually  becoming  more  than 
ever  confused. 

"  I  pierced  the  impenetrable  veil  of  futurity." 

"  And  what  manner  of  things  were  revealed  ? ' 

"  I  beheld  many  marvels,"  she  answered,  in  a  slow, 
impressive  voice.  "  Marvels  that  thou,  too,  canst  be- 
hold if  thou  darest  brave  the  wrath." 

She  spoke  so  earnestly,  fixing  her  searching  eyes 
upon  me,  that  I  felt  my  courage  failing.  The  constant 
flashing  of  brilliant  colors  in  my  eyes  seemed  to 
unnerve  me,  throwing  me  into  a  kind  of  helpless  stupor, 
in  which  my  senses  became  frozen  by  the  ghastly  mys- 
teries practised  before  me.  It  was  this  feeling  of  help- 
lessness that  caused  my  heart  to  sink. 

"  Didst  thou  not  declare  thou  wouldst  engage  Malec 
in  single  combat  in  thine  endeavor  to  fathom  the 


io8  Cbe  BBe  of  IFstat. 


Secret  of  the  Asps  ?  "  she  observed,  half  reproachfully. 
"Yet  thine  hand  quivereth  like  the  aspen,  and  thou 
carest  not  to  seek  the  displeasure  consequent  upon  such 
an  action." 

Erect,  almost  statuesque,  she  stood  before  me,  pale 
and  of  incomparable  beauty,  holding  my  sun-browned 
hand  in  hers. 

"  Hearken,  O  Azala,"  I  cried,  struggling  with  diffi- 
culty to  my  feet,  and  passing  my  hand  across  my  ach- 
ing brow  to  steady  the  balance  of  my  brain.  "  No 
man  hath  yet  accused  Zafar-Ben-A'Ziz  of  cowardice. 
If,  in  order  to  seek  the  key  to  the  mystery  of  the 
strange  marks  we  both  bear,  it  is  imperative  that  I 
should  gaze  into  yonder  crystal,  then  I  fear  nought." 

"It  is  imperative,"  she  stammered.  "If  it  were  not, 
I,  of  all  persons,  would  not  endeavor  to  induce  thee  to 
invoke  the  curse  upon  thyself." 

"  Then  let  me  gaze,"  I  said,  and  with  uneven  steps 
went  forward,  my  hand  in  hers,  to  where  the  great 
prism  had  so  miraculously  appeared.  It  was  moving 
very  slowly,  the  only  light  in  the  chamber  being  that 
emitted  from  its  triangular  surfaces,  and  as  I  halted 
before  it  my  head  reeled  with  a  strange  sensation  of 
dizziness  I  had  never  before  experienced. 

Aloud  the  prostrate  slaves  cried,  — 

"  O  Malec,  Angel  of  Terror,  vanquished  by  a  woman's 
beauty,  let  the  eyes  of  this  friend  of  thy  conqueror  wit- 
ness the  sight  which  is  forbidden,  so  that  he  may  drink 
of  the  fountain  of  truth,  and  repose  in  the  radience  of 
her  countenance."  Tiamo  was  thumping  his  kalango 
and  grinning  hideously. 

Bewildered,  and  only  half-conscious  of  my  surround- 
ings, I  felt  Azala  dragging  me  forward.  Though  the 
objects  swam  around  me  and  I  had  a  curious  sensation 
as  if  I  were  treading  on  air,  I  advanced  to  within  an 


prism  of  testing.  109 

arm's  length  of  the  slowly-moving  prism.  My  eyes 
were  cast  down  to  the  green  carpet,  for  in  the  sudden 
terror  that  had  seized  me  I  feared  to  look. 

"  Speak  !  "  cried  Azala,  in  a  voice  that  seemed  afar 
off.  "  What  beholdest  thou  ? " 

But  no  answer  passed  my  lips. 

"  Gaze  long  and  earnestly,  O  Zafar,  so  that  the  image 
of  things  revealed  may  be  graven  upon  the  tablets  of 
thy  memory  for  use  for  our  well-being  hereafter,"  she 
urged  in  a  voice  sounding  like  the  distant  cry  of  a 
night-bird. 

The  thought  of  her  peril  flashed  in  an  instant  across 
my  unbalanced  mind.  Her  appeal,  I  remembered,  was 
for  our  mutual  benefit,  in  order  that  I  should  be  en- 
abled to  elucidate  the  Mystery  of  the  Asps  and  bring 
peace  upon  her.  What,  I  wondered,  was  the  nature  of 
this  strange  revelation  which  she  herself  had  already 
witnessed. 

Ashamed  at  this  terror  that  branded  me  as  coward, 
and  determined  to  strive  towards  the  solution  of  the 
remarkable  mystery  that  bound  me  in  a  bond  of  love  to 
the  beautiful  daughter  of  the  Sultan,  I  held  my  breath 
and  slowly  raised  my  head. 

Next  second  my  heart  stood  still  as,  fascinated  in 
amazement  and  aghast  in  horror,  I  gazed  deep  into  the 
prism's  crystal  depths,  where  an  omination,  wondrous 
and  entrancing,  met  my  eyes. 

There  was  indeed  revealed  unto  me  a  marvel  of 
which  I  had  not  dreamed. 


no  Gbe  J6»e  of  flstar. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

A    SIGN    AFAR. 

THE  movement  of  the  huge  crystal  was  so  slow  as  to 
be  almost  imperceptible,  but  the  kaleidoscope  of  life 
and  movement  it  presented  held  me  spell-bound. 

By  this  strange  combination  of  dactyliomancy  with 
christallomantia,  an  effect  was  produced  so  amazing 
and  unaccountable  that  my  wondering  vision  became 
riveted  upon  it,  as  gradually  my  mind  cleared  of  the 
chaotic  impression  it  had  received. 

The  reflecting  surfaces,  turned  at  various  angles  to 
my  line  of  sight,  presented  in  their  unsullied  transpar- 
ency a  specular  inversion  of  figures  and  scenes  that, 
ere  they  took  clearly-delineated  shape,  dissolved  and 
faded,  to  be  suceeded  by  others  of  a  totally  different 
character.  Objects  and  persons  with  whom  I  seemed 
to  have  been  familiar  in  my  youth  in  the  far-off  Aures 
passed  before  my  gaze  in  bewildering  confusion.  Ere 
I  could  recognize  them,  however,  they  disappeared, 
phantom-like,  giving  place  to  a  series  of  pictures  of  the 
terrors  of  battle,  so  vividly  portrayed  that  they  held 
me  overawed.  The  first  showed  a  beautiful  court,  evi- 
dently the  private  pavilion  of  some  potentate,  with 
cool  arcades,  plashing  fountains,  tall  palms  and  trailing 
vines.  But  the  place  had  been  assaulted  and  ignomini- 
ously  fallen.  The  courts  sacred  to  the  women  were 
full  of  armed,  dark-skinned  men,  who,  with  brutal  ruth- 
lessness,  were  tearing  from  the  "  pearls  of  the  harem  " 
their  jewels,  and  with  wanton  cruelty  massacring  them 
even  as  I  gazed.  Over  the  pavements  of  polished  jas- 
per, blood  flowed,  trickling  into  the  great  basin  of  the 
fountain,  and  as  one  after  another  the  houris  fell  and 


S  Sign  afar.  m 

died,  a  fierce  red  light  shone  in  the  sky,  showing  that  the 
barbarous  conquerers,  intoxicated  with  blood  and  loot, 
had  fired  the  palace.  Then  in  the  dense  smoke  that 
curled  from  out  the  arcades  as  they  were  enveloped 
and  destroyed,  the  scene  of  merciless  slaughter  and 
ruthless  destruction  was  lost,  and  there  gradually 
evolved  scenes  of  burning  desert,  of  welcome  oases,  of 
great  and  wonderful  cities,  all  of  which  grew  slowly 
and  were  quickly  lost.  Just  at  that  moment,  however, 
a  sound  behind  me  caused  me  to  start,  and  turning,  I 
saw  that  the  dwarf,  who  had  risen  noiselessly,  had  wit- 
nessed the  magic  pictures  as  well  as  ourselves. 

On  seeing  that  his  inquisitiveness  had  been  detected, 
he  turned  quickly,  rejoined  his  fellow-slaves,  and  fell 
again  upon  his  knees,  raising  his  voice  in  .the  strange 
incantation  the  girls  continued  to  repeat.  Apparently 
Azala  did  not  notice  him ;  too  engrossed  was  she  in  the 
revelations  of  the  prism,  for  when  I  again  gazed  into 
the  crystal,  objects  and  persons  were  passing  in  rapid 
confusion,  and  she  was  vainly  endeavoring  to  decipher 
their  mysterious  import. 

For  a  second  we  saw  the  face  of  a  beautiful  woman 
with  hair  like  golden  sheen,  and  were  both  amazed  to 
discover  that  in  place  of  rows  of  sequins  she  wore  a 
single  ornament  suspended  upon  her  white,  unfurrowed 
brow.  Apparently  it  was  carved  from  a  single  diamond 
of  enormous  size  and  exceeding  lustre,  but  its  shape 
puzzled  us  ;  it  was  fashioned  to  represent  a  curious 
device  of  arrow-heads.  Quickly  the  mysteriously- 
beautiful  face  dissolved,  and  from  its  remains  there 
came  in  rapid  succession  pictures  of  a  mighty  city,  of 
a  great  plain,  of  running  water,  of  a  seething  populace, 
and  of  a  cool  garden  rich  in  flowers  and  fruit.  Then 
there  appeared  a  vision  so  ghastly  and  gruesome  that  I 
drew  back  in  horror. 


ii2  Gbe  Bge  of  ITstar. 

It  represented  a  pavement  of  polished  marble,  wrfere- 
on  a  woman  was  stretched  dead,  mutilated  by  the  keen 
scimitar  of  a  black  eunuch  of  giant  stature,  who  with 
his  foot  upon  the  lifeless  body  gazed  down,  grinning 
with  satisfaction  at  his  own  brutality. 

The  face  of  the  man  startled  me.  The  hideous 
countenance,  on  which  revenge  was  so  strongly  de- 
picted, was  that  of  our  mutual  enemy,  Khazneh,  Chief 
of  the  Black  Eunuchs  of  his  Imperial  Majesty  ! 

"  Enough  !  "  cried  Azala,  horrified  at  what  seemed  a 
revolting  augury  of  her  own  end.  "  See  !  the  brute 
hath  struck  off  her  head  !  "  And  shuddering,  she  gazed 
around  the  apartment  with  a  look  of  abject  terror,  her 
haggard  features  in  that  moment  becoming  paler  and 
more  drawn. 

"  Heed  it  not  as  ill-potent,"  I  said,  smoothing  her 
hair  tenderly,  and  endeavoring  to  remove  from  her 
mind  the  horrifying  thought  that  she  might  fall  under 
the  doka  of  the  Grand  Eunuch.  "  The  mystic  Prism  of 
Destiny  showeth  much  that  is  grim,  distorted  and 
fantastic.  The  eventuality  is  only  resolved  so  that  we 
may  arm  ourselves  against  the  Destroyer." 

But,  apprehensive  of  her  fate,  she  shook  her  head  sor- 
rowfully, saying  in  low,  harsh  tones,  "  When  on  the 
previous  occasion  I  gazed  into  the  prism  a  similar 
scene  was  conjured  up  before  me,  only  the  woman  was 
then  at  his  knees  imploring  mercy,  while  he,  with  doka 
uplifted,  laughed  her  to  scorn.  Now,  see  the  end  ! 
Her  head  hath  fallen  !  " 

Again  I  turned  to  ascertain  what  next  might  be 
shown  in  the  revolving  crystal,  the  mystery  of  which 
was  ever-increasing,  but  it  had  ceased  to  move. 
Eagerly  I  bent,  gazing  into  its  green,  transparent 
depths  in  order  to  discover  whether  the  strange  scenes 
were  mere  optical  illusions.  Only  for  a  second  was  I 


B  Sign  afar,  113 

permitted  to  gaze,  but  in  that  brief  moment  suspicion 
seized  me  that  I  had  been  imposed  upon.  Whether 
Azala  actually  believed  that  forecasts  of  the  future 
could  be  witnessed  in  the  crystal,  or  whether  she  was 
only  striving  to  impress  me  by  regaling  me  with  an 
exhibition  of  the  mystical,  in  which  all  women  of  her 
race  delight,  I  know  not ;  but  I  was  sceptical  and 
became  convinced  that  the  pictures  had  been  conjured 
up  by  mechanical  contrivance,  and  that  the  illusions — 
probably  the  stock-in-trade  of  some  court  necromancer 
— were  performed  by  ingenious  but  hidden  paintings 
or  tableaux. 

By  this  discovery  I  was  much  perturbed,  for  it  was 
remarkable  that,  on  witnessing  the  scenes,  Azala's  sur- 
prise and  agitation  were  natural  and  unfeigned,  and 
this  act  led  me  to  the  conclusion  that,  believing  in 
spells  and  amulets,  she  was  also  ready  to  place  faith 
in  any  extraordinary  marvel  that  she  might  gaze  upon. 

It  was  common  knowledge,  I  remembered,  that  the 
women  of  Sokoto  were  extremely  superstitious,  be- 
lieving as  implicitly  in  the  sayings  of  their  astrologers 
as  we,  of  the  North,  believe  in  the  efficacy  of  repre- 
sentations of  the  hand  of  Fathma  of  Algiers  nailed 
over  our  doors  to  avert  the  Evil  Eye.  Was  this  cham- 
ber the  sanctum  of  some  seer  whose  duty  it  was  to 
forecast  the  good  or  evil  fortune  of  the  doves  of  the 
harem  ? 

I  turned,  and  was  about  to  address  to  her  some  ques- 
tion directed  towards  fathoming  the  secrets  of  this 
cunningly-contrived  instrument  of  psychomancy,  when 
suddenly  she  drew  aside  the  curtain  from  a  lattice  near, 
uttering  an  exclamation  of  mingled  surprise  and  dismay. 

Rushing  towards  her,  I  looked  out,  and  the  sight 
riveted  my  gaze  in  abject  amazement. 

The  dawn  had  already  spread  with  delicate  tints  of 


of  Istar. 

pink  and  rose,  but  in  the  northern  sky  a  strange,  in- 
verted picture  was  presented  with  such  clearness  and 
vividness  of  outline  that  every  detail  is  still  as  fresh  in 
my  mind  as  it  was  at  the  moment  I  witnessed  it. 

The  picture  was  produced  not  by  the  chicanery  of 
any  necromancer,  but  by  Nature  herself.  It  was  that 
strange,  puzzling  illusion — the  mirage.  So  weird  and 
wonderful  was  it  that,  even  though  I  had  seen  many 
similar  pictures  in  the  heavens  during  my  journeys 
over  the  plains,  I  gave  an  involuntary  exclamation  of 
amazement. 

As  we  gazed  away  beyond  the  city,  across  the  sandy 
desert,  the  aerial  tableaux  mirrored  above  appeared  to 
be  the  reflection  of  a  flat,  black  rock  of  colossal  dimen- 
sions, rising  high  and  inaccessible  like  a  wall,  and  de- 
scending sheer  into  dark,  deep  water,  upon  the  surface 
of  which  its  gloomy  image  was  reflected  as  in  a  mirror. 
The  spot,  weird  and  lonely,  was  devoid  of  every  vestige 
of  herbage  or  any  living  thing,  and  as  I  looked  upon  it 
in  wonderment,  impressed  by  its  weirdness,  Azala  sud- 
denly grasped  my  arm,  exclaiming  excitedly, — 

"  Behold  !  that  black  pool !  See,  it  is  the  Lake  of 
the  Accursed  !  Many  times  hath  its  image  been  re- 
vealed unto  us  in  the  sky.  Remark  it  carefully,  for  of 
a  verity  am  I  convinced  that  in  this  vision  we  have  a 
key  to  the  Secret.  At  that  spot  must  thou  search  if 
thou  desirest  to  fathom  the  mystery." 

My  eyes  took  in  every  detail  of  the  ineffably  dismal 
picture,  the  great,  inhospitable  face  of  dark  granite 
seemingly  so  smooth  that  an  eagle  could  scarce  obtain 
a  foothold,  its  rugged  summit  with  one  pointed  crag, 
like  a  man's  forefinger,  pointing  higher  than  the  rest 
towards  the  dark,  lowering  clouds  that  seemed  to  hang 
about  it,  and  the  Stygian  blackness  of  the  stagnant  wa- 
ter at  its  gigantic  base.  But  its  sight  told  me  nothing, 


Hales  of  tbe  Storytellers.  115 

for  it  was  the  reflected  image  of  a  scene  I  had  never 
before  gazed  upon,  a  scene  so  unutterably  dismal  and 
dispiriting  that  I  doubted  whether  any  clue  could  there 
be  found. 

Cloud-pictures  are  of  such  frequent  occurrence  at 
Kano  that  it  is  known  among  the  desert  tribes  as  "  The 
City  of  the  Mirage." 

For  a  few  moments  the  sky  remained  the  mirror  of 
this  mystic  picture  ;  then  gradually  it  faded  into  air. 
When  it  had  entirely  disappeared,  Azala,  uttering  no 
word,  drew  the  curtain  again  before  the  lattice  as  at 
the  same  instant  Tiamo  and  the  two  slaves  rose,  bow- 
ing before  their  mistress.  With  quick,  impatient  ges- 
ture she  motioned  to  them  to  leave,  and  I,  marvelling 
greatly  at  the  strange  religio-magic  and  extraordinary 
mirage  I  had  witnessed,  followed  her  through  the  open 
curtain  and  up  the  stairs  back  to  her  own  sweetly  per- 
fumed apartment. 

But  in  that  moment  there  occurred  to  me  the  sol- 
emn declaration  I  had  so  often  heard  in  the  mosque  : 
"  Whoso  taketh  Eblis  for  his  patron  beside  Allah,  shall 
surely  perish  with  a  manifest  destruction." 


CHAPTER  XV. 

TALES   OF    THE    STORY-TELLERS. 

IN  her  own  chamber,  Azala,  tottering  towards  her 
divan,  sank  upon  it  exhausted,  while  I,  grasping  her 
hand,  stood  by  in  rigid  silence,  not  daring  to  speak. 

As  upon  her  cushion  she  was  lying,  one  arm  beneath 
her  head,  I  watched  the  flush  of  health  mount  to  her 
countenance,  and  her  beauty  gradually  return.  She 


n6  tTbe  EEC  of  Itetar. 

opened  her  eyes,  and  as  she  gazed  into  mine  long  and 
steadily,  I  told  myself  that  she  was  nothing  like  any 
other  daughter  of  man.  Those  glorious  orbs  under 
their  gr£at  curved  brows  shone  upon  me  like  suns  un- 
der triumphal  arches.  The  idea  of  holding  her  in  my 
arms  brought  me  a  fury  of  rapture  ;  she  held  me  bound 
by  an  unseen  chain.  It  seemed  as  though  she  had  be- 
come my  very  soul,  and  yet  for  all  that  there  flowed 
between  us  the  invisible  waves  of  an  ocean  without 
bounds.  She,  the  daughter  of  the  Sultan,  was  remote 
and  inaccessible.  The  splendor  of  her  beauty  diffused 
around  her  a  nebula  of  light,  and  I  found  myself  Re- 
lieving at  moments  that  she  w*s  not  before  me — that 
she  did  not  really  exist — that  it  was  all  a  dream. 

She  moved,  the  diamonds  on  her  heaving  bosom 
shining  resplendently,  and  raising  herself  slowly  to  a 
sitting  posture,  asked  in  a  low,  intense  tone, — 

"  Now  that  thou  hast  gazed  into  the  Prism  of  Des- 
tiny and  witnessed  the  sign  in  the  heavens,  fearest 
thou  to  penetrate  further  the  veil  of  evil  that  surround- 
eth  us  ? " 

"Already  have  I  spoken,  O  Pearl  among  Women.  1 
fear  not  to  speak  the  truth,"  I  answered,  yet  half  in- 
clined to  scoff  at  the  pictures  shown  in  the  prism.  Yet 
the  distinctness  of  the  gloomy  mirage  had  impressed 
me,  and  I  refrained  from  saying  anything  to  give  her 
pain. 

"  Then  thou  must  of  necessity  seek  the  spot,  the  im- 
age of  which  hath  been  revealed,"  she  said,  and  mo- 
tioning me  to  a  cushion  near  her,  added,  "  Take  thine 
ease  for  short  space,  and  lend  me  thine  ear." 

Drawing  the  cushion  closer  to  her,  I  seated  myself, 
my  hand  still  clasping  hers  ;  then,  with  a  slight  sigh, 
she  gazed  into  my  face  with  a  look  of  earnest  passion 
and  continued, — 


{Tales  of  tbe  Storytellers.  "7 

"  The  great  rock  and  the  black  water  in  combination 
answereth  with  exactness  to  the  description  of  the 
Lake  of  the  Accursed  which  none  has  found,  but  which 
existeth  in  the  legends  of  our  people,  and  hath  long 
been  'discussed  by  our  wise  men.  It  is  said  that  the 
Rock  of  the  Great  Sin,  rising  sheer  and  inaccessible 
from  the  unfathomable  waters,  formeth  the  gate  of  the 
Land  of  the  No  Return,  the  unknown  country  which 
none  can  enter  nor  leave,  and  upon  which  human  eyes 
have  never  gazed.  Our  story-tellers  oft  repeat  the 
popular  belief  that  the  Lake  of  the  Accursed  hideth  an 
unknown,  but  amazing  wonder,  although  for  centuries 
our  armies  and  our  caravans  have  travelled  far  and 
wide  over  the  face  of  the  earth,  yet  none  has  discov- 
ered it.  By  the  fact  of  its  image  being  thrice  revealed 
in  the  sky,  I  am  convinced  that  if  its  whereabouts  could 
be  discovered,  we  should  find  that  which  we  seek." 

"  But  apparently  it  existeth  only  in  the  sayings  of 
thy  wise  men,"  I  observed,  dubiously. 

"  The  descriptions  of  it  all  agree,  even  though  the 
versions,  which  the  story-tellers  relate  as  to  its  origin, 
may  differ,"  she  answered,  her  eyes  appearing  to  pene- 
trate far  away  in  the  distance  beyond  terrestrial  space. 
"  Those  of  the  tribe  of  Zamfara  assert  that  ages  ago, 
in  the  face  of  the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin,  there  was  a 
large  and  deep  cavern  whence  issued  a  black  and  un- 
wholesome vapor,  and  men  feared  to  approach  because 
it  was  the  gate  of  the  Land  of  the  No  Return.  It  was 
the  continual  resort  of  a  huge  serpent,  whose  bite  was 
fatal,  who  zealously  guarded  the  gloomy  portals  of  the 
forbidden  land,  and  who  swallowed  his  victims ;  but 
once  a  man  of  lion  courage  dared  to  escape  while  the 
serpent  slept,  and  successfully  got  away,  while,  in  the 
heat  of  noon,  the  Great  Devourer  closed  his  eyes.  The 
serpent,  however,  awoke  in  time  to  see  the  adventurer 


us.  £be  EBC  of  letar, 


flying  across  the  desert,  but  too  late  to  kill  him.  Then, 
in  a  paroxysm  of  rage  that  mortal  man  should  have 
eluded  his  vigilance,  he  smote  the  rock  thrice  with  his 
tail,  when,  with  a  noise  like  thunder,  the  cavern  closed, 
and  about  it  was  formed  the  deep,  black  pool  known 
as  the  Lake  of  the  Accursed,  which  has  ever  since 
rendered  it  unapproachable.  Such  is  the  story  most 
popular  among  our  people,  although  there  are  some 
others,  notably  that  of  the  Kanouri,  who  declare  that, 
far  back  in  the  dim  ages,  before  the  days  of  the  Prophet, 
a  great  host  of  one  of  the  Pagan  conquerors  of  Ethio- 
pia was  on  its  way  to  penetrate  into  an  unknown  region 
where  the  presence  of  man  had  already  been  forbidden 
by  the  gods.  When,  having  crossed  the  desert  many 
days,  they  were  at  last  about  to  enter  the  fruitful  land 
to  despoil  it,  the  earth  suddenly  opened  and  devoured 
them,  leaving  in  their  place  the  Accursed  Lake  with 
the  great  rock  as  a  terrible  warning  to  future  genera- 
tions who  might  be  seized  with  a  desire  to  gain  knowl- 
edge .and  riches  withheld  from  them." 

"Do  all  the  versions  agree  that  the  Rock  of  the 
Great  Sin  is  the  gate  of  a  region  unknown  ?  "  I  asked, 
intensely  interested  in  these  quaint  beliefs  of  the  story- 
tellers. 

"  Yes.  In  the  harem  ofttimes  have  I  heard  slaves  of 
the  tribes  of  Zara,  Boulgouda  and  of  Digguera  each  re- 
late their  version,  and  all  coincide  that  the  rock  was 
at  one  period  agate  which  gave  entrance  to  a  forbidden 
land.  Some  say  there  lieth  behind  the  rock  Al-Ho- 
tama,*  where  the  kindled  fire  of  Allah  mounteth  above 
the  hearts  of  those  cast  therein,  the  dreaded  place 
which  the  Koran  telleth  us  is  as  an  arched  vault  on 
columns  of  vast  extent  wherein  the  dwellers  have  gar- 

*  An  apartment  in  hell,  so  called  because  it  will  break  into  pieces 
whatever  is  thrown  into  it. 


Sales  of  tbe  £totE=fteller0.  119 

ments  of  fire  fitted  unto  them.  Others  believe  that  be- 
yond the  Lake  of  the  Accursed  there  lieth  the  gardens 
into  which  Allah  introduceth  those  who  believe  and 
act  righteously,  the  Land  of  Paradise  through  which 
rivers  flow,  where  the  great  lote-tree  flourisheth,  and 
where  the  dwellers  are  adorned  with  bracelets  of  gold 
and  pearls,  and  their  vestures  are  of  silk.  All  are  in 
accord  that  the  land  beyond  is  the  Land  of  the  No  Re- 
turn." 

"  And  thou  desireth  me  to  set  forth  in  search  of  this 
legendary  spot  which  no  man  hath  yet  discovered?"  I 
said. 

"  To  elucidate  the  mystery  of  the  marks  we  bear  will 
be  to  thine  own  benefit,  as  well  as  to  mine,"  she  an- 
swered, gazing  into  my  eyes  with  a  look  of  affection. 
"  Thou,  an  Arab  by  birth  but  a  Dervish  by  compulsion, 
art  the  enemy  of  my  race,  and  peradventure  had  thy 
companions  not  been  slaughtered  by  my  guards  thine 
hosts  would  have  ere  this  occupied  Kano  and  looted 
this  our  palace.  Yet  we  love  each  other,  though  I  am 
a  disgraced  outcast  from  the  harem,  in  peril  of  my 
life " 

"  Why  art  thou  in  such  deadly  peril  ?  Thou  has  not 
explained  to  me,"  I  interrupted. 

"  My  death  or  marriage  would  secure  the  position 
of  Khadidja,  my  mother's  rival,  as  Sultana.  Therefore 
there  are  intrigues  on  foot  to  take  my  life  by  violent 
but  secret  means." 

"  Or  peradventure  thy  marriage  ?  "  I  suggested. 

"  Alas ! "  she  said  quickly,  smiling  with  sadness. 
"  Didst  thou  not  witness  in  the  prism  the  decree  of 
Fate  ?  Sooner  or  later  I  shall  fall  beneath  the  sword 
of  my  secret  enemy." 

"  Nay,  nay,"  I  said,  entwining  my  arm  about  her 
white  neck  and  drawing  her  towards  me.  "  Anticipate 


120  Gbe  Ese  ot  Ustar. 


not  foul  assassination,  but  seek  Allah's  aid,  and  bear 
courage  while  I  strive." 

"  I  trust  thee,  Zafar,"  she  murmured,  in  a  soft  voice, 
with  tears  in  her  eyes.  "  I  trust  in  thee  to  extricate 
me  from  the  perils  that  surround  me  like  a  cloud  on 
every  side." 

"  Lovest  thou  me  fondly  enough  to  marry  ?  "  I  asked 
in  intense  earnestness,  holding  both  her  hands  and 
looking  into  her  clear,  bright  orbs. 

"  Of  a  verity  I  do,"  she  answered,  blushing. 

"  Then  how  can  we  wed  ?  "  I  asked.  "  I  am,  alas  ! 
but  poor,  and  to  ask  of  the  Sultan  for  thee  would  only 
be  the  smiting  off  of  mine  own  head,  for  already  hath 
he  forbidden  me  to  set  foot  within  his  Empire  on  pain 
of  instant  death." 

"  It  is  but  little  I  know  concerning  the  Mystery  of 
the  Asps,  beyond  the  legend  that  the  key  to  the  secret 
lieth  hidden  at  the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin,  the  where- 
abouts of  which  no  man  knoweth  ;  nevertheless,  I  am 
convinced  that  if  thou  canst  penetrate  its  true  mean- 
ing thou  wilt  not  find  the  Sultan  implacable." 

"  His  Majesty  feareth  the  sight  of  the  mark  upon 
me,"  I  said,  reflectively.  "  Knowest  thou  the  reason  ?  " 

She  hesitated  for  a  few  moments,  as  if  reluctant  to 
explain,  then  replied,  — 

"  I  know  not." 

"  Dost  thou  promise  to  wed  me  if  I  am  successful 
in  my  search  after  the  truth  ?  "  I  asked,  pressing  her 
tiny  hand  in  mine. 

"  Zafar,"  she  answered,  in  a  low  tone,  full  of  tender- 
ness, as  she  clung  to  me,  "  I  love  no  other  man  but 
thee.  My  father's  hatred  standeth  between  us,  there- 
fore we  must  wait,  and  if  in  the  meantime  thine  efforts 
to  obtain  knowledge  of  the  meaning  of  the  marks  upon 
our  breasts  are  successful,  then  most  assuredly  will  the 


{Tales  of  tbe  Storytellers,  121 

Sultan  give  me  unto  thee  in  marriage  and  rejoice  thee 
with  abundant  favours." 

Raising  my  right  hand,  I  answered,  "  It  is  written 
upon  the  stone  that  Allah  is  the  living  one.  If  a  man 
prove  obstinate,  woe  unto  him.  I  swear  upon  our 
Book  of  Everlasting  Will  to  strive  while  I  have  breath 
towards  the  elucidation  of  the  mystery." 

Tightening  her  grasp  upon  my  hand  with  her  be- 
jewelled fingers,  she  said,  "I  also  take  oath  that  dur- 
ing thine  absence  no  man  shall  enter  my  presence. 
Whithersover  thou  goest  there  shall  also  accompany 
thee  my  blessing,  which  shall  be  as  a  torch  in  the 
darkness  of  night,  and  thy  guide  in  the  brightness  of 
day.  Strive  on  with  fearless  determination  ;  strive  on, 
ever  remembering  that  one  woman's  life  is  at  stake, 
and  that  that  woman  is  Azala,  thy  Beloved.  Peace 
be  upon  thee." 

"  By  mine  eyes  I  am  thy  slave,"  I  said.  "  My  ear  is 
in  thine  hand  ;  whatever  thou  ordainest  I  am  bound  to 
obey  without  doubt  or  hesitation.  No  other  word 
need  be  said.  I  will  go  wherever  thou  commandest, 
were  it  even  to  fetch  Malec  himself  from  the  inner- 
most chambers  of  the  world  beneath." 

"  Be  it  so,"  she  exclaimed,  smiling,  fingering  her 
necklet  of  charms.  "  When  thou  hast  discovered  that 
which  thou  seekest,  then,  misfortune  will  take  its  leave, 
and  a  new  chapter  in  the  book  of  thy  life  will  open. 
Of  a  verity  thy  thirst  shall  be  slaked  by  cooling  draughts 
of  the  waters  of  Zemzem,  thou  shalt  become  clothed  in 
the  burnouse  of  honor,  armed  with  the  hand  of  power, 
and  mounted  on  the  steed  of  splendor." 

"And  become  the  husband  of  the  Pearl  of  Sokoto," 
I  added,  caressing  her  with  passionate  fondness  in  the 
ecstasy  of  love. 

She  laughed,  glancing  at  me  with  roguish  raillery, 


Gbe  S^e  of  Ustar. 


her  finger  at  her  lips.  Then  she  answered,  "  That  is  the 
summit  of  earthly  happiness  towards  which  I  am  striv- 
ing." But  her  scented  bosom  rose  and  fell  in  a  long 
sigh  as  she  added  :  "  Without  thee  the  days  are  dull 
and  dreary,  and  the  nights  interminable.  From  my 
lattice  I  gaze  upon  the  palace  courts  and  the  great  city 
full  of  life  and  movement,  in  which  I  am  not  permitted 
to  participate,  and  think  of  thy  freedom  ;  for  though 
daughter  of  the  Sultan,  I  am  as  much  a  prisoner  as  any 
unfortunate  wretch  in  the  dungeons  deep  below. 
Thou  art  free,  free  to  travel  over  the  deserts  and  the 
mountains  in  search  of  a  key  to  the  strange  enigma  ; 
free  to  strive  towards  my  rescue  and  the  fulfilment  of 
my  heart's  desire  ;  free  to  gain  that  knowledge  which, 
peradventure,  may  make  thee  honored  and  esteemed 
among  men.  Here  will  I  await  thy  coming,  and  each 
day  while  thou  art  absent,  at  the  going  down  of  the  sun 
will  I  pray  unto  Allah,  who  setteth  his  sign  in  the 
heavens,  to  shield  thee  with  his  cloak,  and  place  in 
thine  hands  the  two-edged  sword  of  conquest." 

"Assuredly  will  I  speed  on  the  wings  of  haste  to  do 
thy  bidding,"  I  answered,  looking  deep  into  the  depths 
of  her  wonderful  eyes  as  I  knelt  beside  her  with  one 
arm  around  her  neck  and  her  fair  head  pillowed  upon 
my  breast.  "  At  the  maghrib  each  day  will  I  think  of 
thee,  and  whether  in  the  desert  or  the  forest,  in  the 
oasis  or  the  city,  I  will  send  unto  thee  a  message  of 
love  and  peace  upon  the  sunset  zephyr." 

"  My  lattice  shall  be  opened  always  at  the  call  of  the 
mueddin"  she  said,  "  and  thy  words  of  comfort  will  be 
borne  in  unto  me  by  the  desert  wind.  I  shall  know 
that,  wherever  thou  art,  thou  thinkest  at  that  hour  of 
me,  and  we  will  thus  exchange  mute,  invisible  confi- 
dences in  each  other's  love." 

I  looked  at  her  a  moment,  dazed,  then,  rising  slowly 


Gales  of  tbe  Storytellers.  123 

to  my  feet,  seized  her  hands,  asking,  "  When  shall  I 
set  forth  ? " 

"  Thy  journey  must  be  prosecuted  with  all  dispatch. 
Tarry  not,  or  misfortune  may  overtake  us  both,"  she 
f  answered,  raising  herself,  and  sitting  upon  her  divan 
with  her  tiny  feet  and  gold-bangled  ankles  stretched 
out  against  the  lion's  skin  spread  upon  the  floor  of  pol- 
ished porphyry.  "  Ere  the  sun  appeareth  above  the 
Hills  of  Guetzaoua  thou  must  pass  out  of  the  Kofa-n- 
Kura  on  the  first  stage  of  thy  journey.  Outside  the 
city  gate  thou  wilt  find  a  swift  camel  with  its  bags  ready 
packed,  awaiting  thee  in  charge  of  one  of  my  male 
slaves.  Mount,  and  hasten  from  the  city  lest  thy  de- 
parture be  detected." 

"  As  chief  of  the  Khalifa's  mulazimin  I  am  liable  to  be 
overtaken  and  brought  back,"  I  said.  "  Therefore  I 
must  speed  quickly  away,  avoiding  the  route  of  the 
caravans,  for  if  I  am  missed  I  shall  assuredly  be  tracked. 
In  what  direction  shall  I  prosecute  my  quest !  " 

"  Alas!  I  cannot  tell,"  she  answered,  shaking  her 
head  with  sorrow.  "  The  Zamfara  declare  that  the 
Rock  of  the  Great  Sin  lieth  far  beyond  the  land  of  the 
rising  sun,  while  the  Boulgouda  contend  that  the 
gloomy  spot  is  situate  away  in  the  deep  regions  of  the 
afterglow.  But  Allah  directeth  not  the  unjust.  To- 
wards the  pole-star  it  cannot  be,  for  already  our  fight- 
ing-men have  spread  themselves  over  the  land  and  have 
not  discovered  it,  whereas  on  the  other  hand  our  wise 
men  say  it  must  be  beyond  the  impenetrable  forests  of 
the  far-distant  south.  Travel,  therefore,  not  towards 
the  north,  but  cross  the  great  desert  into  the  distant 
lands,  and  make  diligent  inquiry  among  the  Pagan 
dwellers  in  the  regions  unknown,  for  by  trusting  unto 
Fortune  thou  mayest  find  that  for  which  thou  searchest. 
Necessity  is  as  a  strong  rider  with  stirrups  like  razors, 


of  1tetar» 

who  maketh  the  sorry  jade  do  that  which  the  strong 
horse  sometimes  will  not  do,  therefore  be  of  good 
cheer,  and  by  recourse  to  thine  own  ingenuity  en- 
deavor to  gain  swiftly  the  grim  portals  of  the  Land  of 
the  No  Return." 

"  Then  thou  canst  give  me  absolutely  no  clue  to  its 
position  ? "  I  said,  puzzled,  for  I  had  expected  that  at 
least  she  would  be  able  to  tell  me  in  which  direction 
the  finger  of  popular  belief  pointed. 

"  No.  The  different  versions  held  by  the  story-tel- 
lers are  all  conflicting,  regarding  its  position.  Its 
whereabouts  is  an  absolute  mystery."  Then,  placing 
her  hand  beneath  the  silken  cushion  whereon  she  had 
been  reclining,  she  drew  forth  a  bag  of  gold,  adding, 
"  Take  this,  for  assuredly  thou  wilt  require  to  give 
backsheesh  unto  the  people  of  the  far-distant  lands 
thou  wilt  visit." 

But  I  motioned  her  to  keep  the  money,  saying, — 

"  Thanks  to  the  liberality  of  my  master,  the  Khalifa, 
I  have  at  present  enough  for  my  wants,  and  some  to 
spare,  concealed  within  my  belt.  If,  on  my  return,  I 
am  unsuccessful  and  penurious  then  will  I  borrow  of 
thee." 

"  To  show  me  favor,  wilt  thou  not  accept  it,  in 
order  to  pay  those  who  perform  service  for  thee  ?"  she 
asked  with  a  sweet,  winning  smile. 

"  Nay,"  I  replied,  with  pride.  "  What  payments  I 
make,  I  shall  willingly  bear  myself.  Keep  thy  gold 
until  we  again  meet,  which,  if  Allah  be  merciful,  will  be 
ere  many  moons  have  faded.  Let  thy  life  be  happy, 
thou,  who  art  all  in  all  to  me  !  dawn  of  my  day  !  star 
of  my  night !  sweet  one  rose  of  my  summer  !  " 

"  Assuredly  thou  art  brave  and  true,  O  Zafar,"  she 
said,  tossing  the  bag  of  gold  aside,  and  looking  up  at 
me.  "  Thou  hast,  in  blind  confidence  of  me,  under- 


Gales  ot  tbe  Storytellers.  125 

taken  without  fear  a  task  which  through  ages  men 
have  continued  to  prosecute  without  success.  Sages 
have  long  ago  relinquished  their  efforts  as  futile,  yet 
thou  darest  to  face  Malec  himself,  nay,  even  to  fight 
Eblis,  because  thou  lovest  me  and  desirest  that  I 
should  become  thy  wife.  If  thine  heart  retainest  its 
lion's  courage,  then  I  have  presage  that  thine  efforts 
will  ultimately  lead  thee  unto  the  rose-garden  of  hap- 
piness." 

"  With  thoughts  of  thee,  O  Azala,  nought  can  daunt 
me.  Those  who  offer  me  opposition  will  I  crush  even 
like  vipers,"  I  said  gallantly,  and  as  she  rose  with  slow 
grace  to  her  feet,  I  clasped  her  in  fond  embrace.  "  If 
I  falter,"  I  continued,  "  drown  my  soul  in  the  vapor 
of  thy  breath  ;  let  my  lips  be  crushed  in  kissing  thine 
hands." 

But  she  answered,  "  I  love  thee,  O  Zafar ;  I  will 
marry  only  thee,"  pressing  her  hot  lips  to  mine  fiercely. 
My  arm  was  about  her  slim,  gold-begirt  waist,  and  the 
contact  shook  me  to  the  depths  of  my  soul.  We  mur- 
mured vague  speeches,  lighter  than  breezes,  and  sa- 
vory as  kisses.  In  this  parting  I  became  impelled  to- 
wards her,  and  with  dilated  nostrils  inhaled  the  sweet 
perfumes  exhaled  from  her  breast,  from  which  rose  an 

7  j 

indefinable  emanation  of  musk,  jasmine  and  roses, 
which  filled  my  senses  and  held  me  entranced. 

In  silence  we  stood  locked  in  each  other's  arms. 
Upon  her  soft  white  cheek  I  rained  kisses,  as  she  cast 
her  arms  about  my  neck,  sobbing  her  fill  upon  my 
breast.  I  tried  to  utter  words  of  comfort,  but  they 
refused  to  pass  my  lips  ;  my  heart  was  too  full  for 
mere  words.  Thus  we  stood  together,  each  bearing 
the  strange  imprint,  the  mystic  meaning  of  which  it 
had  been  the  desire  of  all  our  lives  to  elucidate,  each  de- 
termined to  fathom  a  mystery  mentioned  by  wise  men 


Gbe  JE^e  of  Istar. 


only  with  bated  breath,  and  each  fearing  failure,  know- 
ing, alas  !  too  well  its  inevitable  result  would  be  un- 
happiness  and  death. 

"  Fear  and  hope  have  sent  me  mad,"  I  said. 
"  Sweet,  sweetest,  dry  those  tears  —  let  me  kiss  them 
away  —  smile  again  ;  thou  art  the  sun  that  lights  my 
world.  Think  !  I  have  dreamed  of  thee  as  winter 
dreams  of  spring  !  Think,  my  love  and  thine  idea 
have  grown  like  leaf  and  flower." 

At  last,  with  supreme  effort,  she  stifled  her  sobs  and 
dried  her  eyes,  remaining  in  silence  and  murmuring 
now  and  then  fervent  blessings  upon  me.  For  some 
moments  the  quiet  had  been  unbroken,  when,  like  a 
funeral  wail,  the  sound  of  distant  voices  came  up 
through  the  lattice,  followed  by  the  dismal  howling  of 
a  hundred  dogs. 

"  Hearken  !  "  she  gasped  in  sudden  fear,  disengag- 
ing herself  from  my  embrace,  as,  dashing  across  to 
the  window,  she  drew  the  hangings  quickly  aside,  ad- 
mitting the  morning  sun.  "  The  mueddin  have  an- 
nounced the  sunrise  !  Already  hast  thou  tarried  too 
long.  It  is  imperative  that  thou  shouldst  fly,  lest  our 
plans  be  thwarted  by  thine  arrest.  Fly  !  Remember 
what  the  Koran  saith.  Whatever  is  in  heaven  and 
earth  singeth  praise  unto  Allah  ;  and  he  is  mighty  and 
wise.  He  is  the  first  and  the  last,  the  manifest  and 
the  hidden  ;  and  he  knoweth  all  things.  He  is  with 
thee  wheresoever  thou  art  ;  for  Allah  seeth  that  which 
thou  doest." 

I  placed  my  arms  about  her  and  again  clasped  her 
to  my  breast  in  final  embrace,  uttering  a  passionate 
declaration  of  love,  and  drinking  her  whole  soul 
through  her  lips  as  sunlight  drinks  the  dew.  Her  great 
beauty  intoxicated  me  ;  I  stood  in  an  invincible  torpor 
as  if  I  had  partaken  of  some  strange  potion.  How  long 


B  Secret  of  State.  127 

we  remained  thus  I  know  not,  but  at  length  an  alarm- 
ing sound  caused  us  both  to  listen  breathlessly. 

Next  second  the  voices  of  men,  loud  and  deep, 
greeted  our  startled  ears  as  the  curtains  concealing 
the  door  by  which  I  had  entered  stirred,  as  if  some 
persons  were  there  concealed/ 

•'  May  Allah  have  mercy  !  "  gasped  the  woman  I 
loved,  her  face  blanched  to  the  lips.  "  The  eunuchs  are 
making  their  first  round.  Thou  art  lost — lost.  And  I 
am  doomed  to  die  !  " 

Then  I  knew  that  a  fatality  encompassed  me. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

A   SECRET   OF   STATE. 

FROM  behind  the  curtain  the  dumb  slave  Ayesha 
emerged  a  second  later,  and,  with  fear  betrayed  upon 
every  feature  of  her  dark  countenance,  motioned  me  to 
follow  her. 

"  Fly  !  Go  in  peace  !  Speed  upon  the  wings  of 
haste  and  save  thyself  !  "  Azala  urged,  in  a  low  whis- 
per, clinging  to  me  for  an  instant  while  I  kissed  her 
white  brow,  half  covered  by  its  golden  sequins.  "  Fly, 
and  may  the  One  Guide  direct  thy  footsteps  in  the 
right  path,  and  guard  thee  through  all  perils  of  thy 
quest." 

"  May  Allah  envelop  thee  with  the  cloak  of  his  pro- 
tection," I  said,  fervently.  "  Farewell,  O  Beloved  !  I 
go  to  seek  to  penetrate  a  mystery  that  none  has  solved. 
Having  thy  blessing,  I  fear  nought.  Slama.  Allah 
iselemeek" 

As   I    released  her,  her   eyes   became  suffused,  but 


Gbe  EEC  of  flstar. 


with  a  gesture  of  fear  she  pushed  me  from  her  gently, 
and  Ayesha,  grasping  my  arm,  led  me  through  the 
alcove,  and  as  I  passed  from  the  sight  of  the  woman  I 
loved  she  murmured  a  last  fond  farewell.  Then  we 
descended  the  stairs  to  the  chamber  wherein  I  had 
gazed  into  the  Prism  of  .Destiny,  and  passed  through 
the  door  by  which  the  Arab  slaves  had  entered,  just  at 
the  moment  we  heard  men's  deep  voices  in  Azala's 
apartment  above.  Silently  we  crept  out  upon  the 
staircase  by  which  my  mute  guide  had  taken  me  to 
Azala's  chamber,  and  then  descending  by  many  intri- 
cate ways  we  at  last  crossed  the  garden  and  entered 
the  Court  of  the  Pages,  where  Ayesha  left  me  abruptly 
without  word,  gesture  or  sign.  Crossing  the  paved 
court  where  figs  and  oranges  grew  in  great  abundance, 
I  entered  the  Court  of  the  Janissaries.  Here  some  of 
the  mulazimin  quartered  there,  surprised  at  seeing  me 
in  the  attire  of  an  eunuch,  rose  to  salute  me.  Impa- 
tiently I  passed  on,  acknowledging  their  salaams  with 
scant  courtesy,  until  I  came  to  the  handsome  Court  of 
the  Grand  Vizier.  As  I  passed  the  statuesque  sentries 
at  the  gate  I  heard  men  conversing  in  low  tones  beyond 
the  screen  of  thick  papaya  bushes  placed  before  the 
entrance  to  afford  shadow  for  the  guards.  In  an  in- 
stant it  occurred  to  me  that  if  seen  by  the  slaves  of 
Mahaza  attired  in  eunuch's  dress  some  awkward  in- 
quiries might  be  instituted,  therefore  I  concealed  myself 
in  the  bushes,  scarce  daring  to  breathe. 

Peering  through  the  foliage  to  ascertain  who  was 
astir  so  early,  I  was  amazed  to  recognize  that  the  two 
men  in  earnest  conversation  were  none  other  than  my 
master  the  Khalifa  Abdullah,  and  Khazneh,  the'Aga  of 
the  Black  Eunuchs  of  the  Sultan. 

Quite  involuntarily  I  played  the  part  of  eaves- 
dropper, for  fearing  detection  and  impatient  to  get  out 


H  Secret  of  State.  129 

of  the  Fada  to  the  spot  where  Azala's  camel  awaited 
me,  I  stood  motionless.  The  words  that  fell  upon  my 
ears  amazed  me.  At  first  I  imagined  that  I  must  be 
dreaming,  but  quickly  I  found  that  the  scene  I  was  wit- 
nessing was  a  stern  reality. 

The  Khalifa,  plainly  dressed  in  a  robe  similar  to  that 
worn  by  his  body-servants,  in  order,  no  doubt,  to  avoid 
being  recognized  by  the  soldiers  and  slaves,  stood  lean- 
ing against  one  of  the  marble  columns  supporting  the 
colonnade  that  ran  around  three  sides  of  the  great 
court ;  his  brow  was  heavy  and  thoughtful,  and  his 
dark  eyes  fixed  upon  his  companion.  Khazneh,  with 
arms  folded  and  chin  upon  his  breast,  remained  in  an 
attitude  of  deep  meditation. 

Suddenly  he  asked  in  a  low,  hoarse  tone,  first  glan- 
cing round  to  assure  himself  that  he  was  not  over- 
heard,— 

"  And  in  such  case,  what  sayest  thou  should  be  my 
reward  ? " 

"  Thou  wilt  gain  wealth  and  power,"  the  Khalifa  an- 
swered. "  Think,  what  art  thou  now  ?  A  mere  harem 
slave  of  thy  Sultan.  If  thou  renderest  me  the  assist- 
ance I  have  suggested,  thou  canst  rise  to  be  first  in  the 
land." 

"  Thou,  O  Khalifa,  art  above  all,"  the  Aga  inter- 
rupted, as  the  complacent  smile  on  Abdullah's  gross 
face  told  him  that  he  was  amenable  to  flattery.  But  a 
second  later  the  expression  of  satisfaction  gave  place 
to  a  keen,  crafty  look,  a  glance,  the  significance  of 
which  I  knew  well,  as  he  said, — 

"  Behold  !  Already  the  sun  hath  risen,  and  we  must 
not  tarry.  The  slaves  will  see  us  together  and  sus- 
pect. A  single  word  whispered  into  the  ear  of  thy 
Lord  'Othman  would  ruin  our  plan.  Thou  must  choose 
now.  Art  thou  ready  to  adopt  my  suggestion  ?  " 


130  Gbe  Bse  of  itetar. 

In  hesitation  the  Aga  bit  his  finger-nails,  hitched  his 
silken  robe  about  his  shoulders,  and  gazed  steadfastly 
down  at  the  marble  pavement.  "  Thou  hast,  as  yet, 
made  no  definite  promise  as  to  the  profits  I  should 
gain,"  he  muttered. 

"Then  give  ear  unto  me,"  said  the  Khalifa,  in  a 
low,  earnest  tone.  "  Thou  hast  admitted  that  we  have 
both  much  to  gain  by  the  downfall  of  thy  Sultan,  there- 
fore we  must  act  together  carefully,  with  perfect  trust 
in  one  another.  My  suggestion  is  that  exactly  four 
moons  from  to-day  my  fighting-men,  to  the  number  of 
sixteen  thousand,  shall  encamp  at  various  points  two 
days  distant,  ready  to  converge  upon  this  city.  On 
thy  part,  thou  wilt  invent  some  grievance  against  the 
Sultan  to  stir  up  discontent  among  the  guards,  Janis- 
saries and  slaves,  and  let  the  dissatisfaction  spread  to 
the  army  itself.  Then,  when  they  are  ripe  for  revolt, 
an  announcement  will  be  made  that  the  Dervishes  are 
already  in  force  at  the  city  gates,  and  that  if  they  are 
prepared  to  live  under  better  conditions,  with  thyself 
as  ruler  under  the  Khalifa,  they  must  throw  down  their 
arms.  This  they  will  assuredly  do,  and  my  Ansar  will 
enter  the  city  and  the  Fada  as  conquerors.  They  will 
have  orders  to  kill  the  Sultan  at  once,  and  to  secure 
his  daughter  Azala,  of  whose  wondrous  beauty  I  have 
heard  much,  for  my  harem.  In  the  meantime,  Katsena 
and  Sokoto  will  be  immediately  subdued  by  my  horse- 
men, and  before  sundown  I  shall  be  proclaimed  ruler 
throughout  the  Empire.  Assuredly,  I  shall  not  forget 
thee,  and  thy  gains  will  be  large.  This  palace,  with 
the  whole  of  the  harem  and  half  the  treasure  it  con- 
taineth,  shall  be  given  unto  thee,  and  thou  wilt  continue 
to  reside  here  and  rule  on  my  behalf.  Under  my  suze- 
rainty thy  power  will  be  absolute,  and  with  the  army  of 
the  Soudan  at  thy  back  thou  wilt  fear  none." 


B  Secret  of  State,  131 

"Thou  temptest  me,  O  Khalifa,"  the  Aga  said,  still 
undecided  to  turn  traitor  to  the  monarch  who  reposed 
in  him  the  utmost  confidence.  "  But  even  if  thou 
gavest  unto  me  this  palace  I  should  not  have  the  means 
to  keep  it  up.  Of  a  verity  I  am  a  poor  man,  and " 

"  Do  my  bidding  and  thou  shalt  be  wealthy,"  Abdul- 
lah exclaimed,  impatiently.  "  As  Governor  of  Sokoto 
thine  expenses  will  come  from  the  Treasury,  therefore 
trouble  thyself  not  upon  that  score.  Stir  up  the  revolt, 
and  take  precaution  that  the  life  of  the  Princess  Azala 
is  preserved  ;  leave  the  rest  unto  me." 

"  The  daughter  of  the  Sultan  hath  already  a  lover," 
Khazneh  said  suddenly,  his  words  causing  my  heart  to 
beat  so  quickly  that  I  could  distinctly  hear  it. 

"  A  lover  ! "  cried  the  Khalifa.  "  Who  dareth  to 
gaze  upon  her  with  thoughts  of  affection?" 

"  A  spy  from  thy  camp." 

"  From  my  camp  ?  "  he  repeated,  puzzled. 

"  I  had  intended  that  he  should  lose  his  head,  but 
the  Sultan  himself  pardoned  him  because  he  feared  the 
consequence  of  some  strange  symbol  the  spy  bore  upon 
his  breast." 

"  Was  he  the  Arab  horseman  captured  at  the  well  of 
Sabo-n-Gari  ?  "  asked  the  Khalifa,  with  knit  brows,  evi- 
dently recollecting  the  description  I  had  given  of  the 
attack. 

"  The  same.  The  Lalla  Azala  saved  his  life,  and  de- 
clared to  me  that  she  loved  him." 

"  Then  I,  the  Khalifa,  have  a  rival  in  Zafar,  the  chief 
of  my  body-servants  !  "  my  master  cried  angrily,  be- 
tween his  teeth.  "  I  will  give  orders  to-day  for  his  re- 
moval." 

"  Send  his  head  to  her  as  a  present,"  suggested  the 
Aga,  with  a  brutal  laugh.  "  The  sight  of  it  will  break 
her  spirit." 


132  Cbe  Bge  of  Tletar. 

"  Thy  lips  utter  words  of  wisdom.  I  will  send  it  to 
thee,  that  thou  mayest  convey  it  to  her." 

Thus  I  stood,  hearing  my  fate  being  discussed,  not 
daring  to  move  a  muscle,  for  so  close  was  I  to  the 
pair,  that  I  could  have  struck  them  dead  with  the 
keen  jam biy ah  I  carried  in  my  sash. 

"Then  it  is  thine  intention  to  annex  Sokoto  unto 
thine  already  extensive  domains,"  the  Aga  exclaimed, 
in  a  few  moments. 

The  Khalifa  nodded  an  affirmative,  adding,  "  Hes- 
itate no  longer,  but  give  thy  decision.  If  thou  wilt 
open  the  gates  of  Kano  for  the  admission  of  my  Ansar, 
thou  shalt,  as  reward,  occupy  the  highest  and  most 

lucrative  post  in  the  Empire.  If  not "  And  he 

shrugged  his  shoulders  significantly. 

"And  if  not  ?  "  the  Aga  asked,  slowly. 

"  If  not,  then  every  man  in  Omdurman  capable  of 
bearing  arms  shall  come  forth  unto  this  thy  city,  and 
take  it  by  assault.  Then  assuredly  will  little  mercy  be 
shown  those  who  have  defied  the  Ruler  of  the  Soudan," 
and  his  brow  darkened.  "The  Empire,  as  thou  hast 
said,  is  badly  governed.  Men  are  appointed  to  all 
offices  who  are  unfit,  war  languishes,  thine  enemies  re- 
joice, the  leaders  of  thy  troops  prefer  their  harems  to 
their  camps,  and  from  the  cadis  the  people  obtain  no 
justice.  Therefore  give  me  the  promise  of  thine  as- 
sistance, and  let  us  together  gather  the  reins  of  office 
in  our  hands.  Thou  hast  no  power  now  outside  the 
Courts  of  Enchantment,  and  no  wealth  beyond  thine 
emoluments,  but  it  is  within  thy  reach  to  acquire  both 
wealth  and  greatness." 

"  But  if,  while  I  sought  to  alienate  the  guards  and 
soldiers  against  the  Sultan,  my  seditious  words  should 
be  whispered  into  his  ear  ?  Assuredly  my  head  would 
fall  beneath  the  doka  of  the  executioner." 


a  Secret  of  State,  133 

"  Fear  not,"  answered  the  head  of  the  Mahdists. 
"  If  thou  art  willing  to  carry  out  my  suggestion,  I  shall 
make  an  excuse  for  remaining  as  guest  of  thy  Sultan,  by 
continuing  the  negotiations  for  the  defensive  treaty 
against  those  dogs  of  English.  At  sundown  to-night 
a  trusty  messenger  will  leave,  bearing  orders  to  my 
emirs  to  assemble  the  troops  and  speed  hither  with  all 
haste,  and  while  the  Sultan  is  unsuspecting,  his  doom 
will  fast  approach.  What  craft  cannot  effect,  gold 
may  perchance  accomplish.  If  thy  treasonable  prac- 
tices are  detected,  then  will  I  intercede  for  thee,  and  he 
cannot  act  in  direct  opposition  to  the  entreaty  of  his 
guest.  But  hearken  !  Some  one  is  astir  !  " 

The  patter  of  bare  feet  upon  the  polished  pavement 
broke  the  silence  as  intently  we  listened.  A  black 
slave  -was  approaching. 

"  Come,  give  me  thine  answer  quickly,  and  before 
sundown  our  written  undertakings  under  seal  shall  be 
secretly  exchanged." 

Khazneh  hesitated.  Apparently  he  was  distrustful 
of  the  Khalifa's  true  intentions,  although  the  generous 
reward  promised  for  his  services  in  securing  the  entry 
of  the  Dervishes  without  opposition  was  a  tempting 
bait.  His  fingers  toyed  nervously  with  the  jewelled 
hilt  of  his  sword — the  keen,  curved  weapon  that  had 
struck  off  so  many  fair  heads  within  the  brilliant  Courts 
of  Enchantment — and  again  he  bit  his  uneven  finger- 
nails. 

"  Think  !  Thou  hast  much  to  gain,  with  naught  to 
lose,"  urged  the  Khalifa.  "  Under  me  thou  wilt  occupy 
the  same  position  as  thine  Imperial  Master.  Come, 
speak  ;  and  let  us  part  ere  we  are  remarked." 

"  I — I  will  assist  thee,"  the  Aga  stammered  at  last, 
in  a  low,  half-frightened  whisper.  "  At  sundown  let 
our  secret  compact  be  concluded." 


134  Gbe  Bge  of  flstar. 

My  astute  master  well  knew  that  the  temptation  to 
secure  wealth  and  power  would  induce  the  scheming 
Aga  of  the  Women  to  become  his  catspaw.  He  had  not 
approached  his  accomplice  without  thoroughly  fathom- 
ing his  character,  and  noting  his  weaknesses.  I  could 
detect  from  his  face  that  from  the  first  he  had  been 
confident  of  success. 

"  Then  upon  thee  be  perfect  peace,  even  until  the 
day  of  Al-Jassasa,"  answered  the  Khalifa,  with  a  sin- 
ister smile  of  satisfaction,  and  without  further  speech 
the  two  men  parted,  walking  in  different  directions, 
and  leaving  me,  excited  and  apprehensive,  to  my  own 
reflections. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

FLIGHT. 

ALLAH  took  me  into  his  keeping.  I  made  a  solitude 
and  called  it  peace.  Half-an-hour  later  I  succeeded  in 
escaping  unrecognized  from  the  Fada,  and  passing  out 
by  the  great  gate,  hurried  breathlessly  through  the 
slave-market,  already  alive  with  Arabs,  negroes  and 
herds  of  half-starved  slaves,  through  the  Yaalewa 
quarter,  past  the  Palace  of  Ghaladima,  and  down  many 
quaint  and  narrow  streets  of  square,  flat-roofed  houses, 
their  walls  intensely  white  against  the  bright,  un- 
clouded blue,  with  passages  from  the  Koran  inscribed 
over  the  doors.  The  great  market  presented  a  most 
animated  scene,  for  business  is  transacted  in  Kano  be- 
fore the  sun  becomes  powerful.  All  the  idioms  of  the 
Sahara,  Soudan  and  Northern  Africa,  from  the  blue 
Mediterranean  and  gray  Atlantic  to  Lake  Tsad,  were 


Jliflbt.  135 

to  be  heard  there,  and  beneath  the  white  turban  or  red 
fez  were  all  the  different  types  of  negro  races — Berber, 
Songhoi,  Bambara,  Toucoulem,  Malinka,  among  the 
blacks  ;  and  Foulbes,  Moors,  Tuaregs,  and  Tripolitans 
among  the  whites.  Rows  of  shops  bordered  three 
sides  of  the  market,  and  the  fourth  opened  upon  the 
Mosque,  as  if  in  reminder  that  honesty  and  good  faith 
should  preside  over  all  its  transactions.  Sitting  sur- 
rounded by  calabashes  and  potteries,  the  women,  with 
neatly-plaited  black  hair,  sold  vegetables,  milk,  manioc, 
incense,  baobab  flour,  karita,  spices,  soap  and  fagots 
of  wood.  In  the' centre  of  the  market  were  three  shops 
in  which  were  sold  the  choicer  goods — native  and 
European  textiles  principally,  Manchester  calicoes  and 
Lyons  silks,  with  salt,  kola  nuts,  slippers,  mirrors, 
pearls,  knives,  etc.  The  money-changer  was  also 
stationed  there,  with  his  black  face  showing  out  from 
between  his  little  mountain  of  cowries.  For  native 
gold  (in  rings  like  the  money  of  the  Pharaohs)  he  gave 
and  took  hundreds  and  thousands  of  the  little  shells, 
grinning  broadly  the  while.  Further  on,  amid  a  per- 
fect babel  of  tongues,  magic  roots,  gold  dust,  emeralds, 
pearls  and  amber,  provisions  dried  in  the  sun,  hair  torn 
from  the  heads  of  dead  negresses,  old  Korans,  gongs, 
poniards,  ancient  jewelry,  ginkris,  flint  guns,  and  amu- 
lets, were  bought  and  sold,  while  everywhere  beggars, 
ragged  and  dirty,  and  lepers,  rendered  hideous  by"  their 
horrible  white  ulcers,  held  forth  lean,  talon-like  hands, 
crying  aloud  in  the  name  of  the  One  Allah  for  alms. 

The  people  who  crowded  the  narrow  thoroughfares 
beyond  the  market  were  of  every  variety  of  national 
form — the  olive-colored  Arab,  the  dark  Kanouri  with 
his  wide  nostrils,  the  tall,  stately,  black-veiled  Tuareg, 
the  small-featured,  light  and  slender  ba-Fellenchi,  the 
broad-faced  ba-Wangara,  the  stout,  masculine-looking 


136  abe  JEse  of  Istar. 

Nupe  female,  and  the  comely  ba-Haushe  woman.  But 
I  sped  onward,  thinking  only  of  the  dastardly  plot  by 
which  the  Sultan  was  to  be  overthrown,  and  the  woman 
I  loved  spirited  away  to  the  great  harem  in  far-off 
Omdurman.  Assuredly  the  register  of  the  actions  of 
the  wicked  is  in  Sejjin,  the  book  distinctly  written, 
which  cannot  be  denied  as  a  falsehood. 

At  first  I  had  felt  impelled  to  seek  an  audience  of 
the  Sultan,  but  on  reflection  I  saw  that  such  a  course 
would  achieve  no  purpose.  Already  he  had  forbidden 
me  to  set  foot  within  his  Empire,  and  it  was  not  likely 
that  he  would  believe  my  statement  if  flatly  contra- 
dicted by  both  the  Khalifa  and  the  villainous  Khazneh, 
as  undoubtedly  it  would  be. 

I  strove  to  invent  some  means  of  acquainting  the 
Sultan  'Othman  of  his  impending  doom,  but  could  de- 
vise none.  As  I  crossed  the  Zat  Nakhl  (Place  of  Palm 
Trees),  I  reflected  that  my  secret  assassination  would 
probably  be  the  only  result  of  my  exposure  of  the  plot. 
Four  months  must  elapse  ere  the  Dervishes  could 
reach  Kano,  therefore  I  resolved  to  preserve  silence, 
and  go  forth  to  fulfil  my  promise  to  Azala  to  try  and 
elucidate  the  mystery. 

At  a  little  distance  outside  the  Kofa-n-Kura,  I  found, 
as  she  had  stated,  two  camels  kneeling,  with  their  bags 
ready  packed,  in  charge  of  the  dwarf  Tiamo,  who, 
when  he  saw  me,  ran  forward,  greeting  me  effusively, 
and  urging  me  to  hasten,  so  that  we  might  leave  the 
city  ere  our  absence  from  the  Fada  was  discovered. 
This  advice  I  followed,  and  a  few  minutes  later  we  were 
seated  on  the  animals,  speeding  quickly  away  over  the 
loose  sand,  leaving  the  gigantic  white  walls  of  Kano 
behind. 

Once  I  turned  to  gaze  upon  the  tower  of  the  Fada 
that  stood  out  clear  and  white,  knowing  that  from  be- 


ffifgbt.  137 

hind  one  of  those  small  lattices  Azala  was  watching 
our  departure  with  anxious,  tearful  eyes.  Raising  my 
hand  I  waved  her  a  last  farewell,  then,  with  face  set 
doggedly  towards  the  west,  I  rode  forward  with  my 
queer  companion,  in  quest  of  the  undiscovered  spot  that 
had  so  many  times  been  reflected  with  such  clearness 
of  detail  upon  the  sky. 

On  over  the  arid  sands  we  journeyed,  pausing  not 
even  during  the  blazing  heat  of  noon,  but  pursuing  our 
way  with  rapidity  in  order  to  put  as  great  a  distance 
as  possible  between  ourselves  and  the  city  by  sundown. 
Instead  of  taking  the  caravan  route  to  Kaoura  we  had 
turned  off  in  a  south-westerly  direction  over  a  con- 
fused agglomeration  of  aghrud,  or  high  sandhills,  almost 
impassable,  in  order  to  baffle  our  pursuers  in  case  we 
were  followed. 

Just  before  sundown  we  paused  at  a  spot  where  the 
light  shadows  of  the  palms,  tamarisk,  alfa  and  mimosa 
rested  on  the  dry,  parched  thirst-land,  and  decided  to 
halt  for  the  night.  Unloading  and  tethering  our 
camels,  I  knelt  to  my  two-bow  prayer  and  repeated  my 
dua,  after  which  the  dwarf  became  communicative. 
He  was  a  pagan  and  believed  not  in  Allah,  or  the 
Prophet.  During  the  day  he  had  apparently  been  too 
much  concerned  regarding  my  personal  safety  to  speak 
much,  but  now  we  ate  and  took  our  Cayf  in  the  blue 
and  purple  haze,  sitting  silent  and  still,  listening  to  the 
monotonous  melody  of  the  oasis,  the  soft  evening 
breeze  wandering  through  the  brilliant  sky  and  tufted 
trees  with  a  voice  of  melancholy  meaning,  lounging  in 
pleasant  languor  and  dreamy  tranquillity.  Briefly  my 
impish  companion  told  me  how  his  mistress  had  en- 
trusted him  with  the  arrangements  for  our  journey, 
and  had  given  him  instructions  to  accompany  me  as 
servant. 


138  Wbe  SEC  of  Hetar. 


I  smoked  my  shisha  (travelling  pipe),  listening  to  the 
croaking  voice  of  this  strange  being  with  his  large, 
ugly  head  and  small  body,  in  whom  Azala  reposed  such 
confidence  ;  then  I  questioned  him  regarding  his  past. 
It  always  pleased  him  if  I  addressed  him  by  the  sou- 
briquet El-Sadie  that  Azala  had  bestowed  upon  him. 
His  eyes  grew  brighter,  his  grin  more  hideous,  and  he 
fingered  his  numberless  heathen  amulets  as  he  related 
to  me  the  exciting  story  of  how  he  had  been  captured 
by  Arab  slave-raiders  at  his  home  in  the  forest  of  Kar, 
beside  the  Serbeouel  river  in  Baguirmi,  and  taken  to 
Kano,  where  he  was  purchased  by  the  Grand  Vizier, 
and  afterwards  given  to  the  Lalla  Azala.  As  he  spoke 
the  mouth  of  this  human  monstrosity  widened,  display- 
ing a  hideous  row  of  teeth,  and  this,  combined  with  his 
croaking  voice,  rendered  him  a  weird  and  altogether 
extraordinary  companion.  Yet  his  strength  seemed 
almost  double  mine,  for  he  had  unloaded  the  camels 
without  an  effort,  carrying  with  perfect  ease  packages 
that  would  have  made  me  pant. 

Sitting  together  on  the  mat  we  had  spread,  watching 
the  sun  sinking  on  the  misty  horizon,  and  the  bright 
crescent  moon  slowly  rising,  I  asked  him  whether  he 
was  aware  of  the  nature  of  my  quest. 

"  The  Lalla  Azala  hath  explained  to  me,  O  master,  that 
thou  seekest  the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin,"  he  answered. 

"What  knowest  thou  of  the  rock  ?"  I  inquired. 

"  Only  that  which  hath  been  related  by  the  story- 
tellers," he  answered.  "As  in  Kano,  so  we  away  on 
the  Serbeouel  river  believe  in  its  existence,  though 
none  has  discovered  its  whereabouts.  By  my  people, 
the  negroes  of  Baguirmi,  it  is  believed  to  be  the  en- 
trance to  the  sacred  land  to  which  those  who  die  val- 
iantly in  battle  are  transported,  while  those  who 
betray  cowardice  are  thrown  into  the  Lake  of  the 


fftfsbt.  139 

Accursed,  wherein  dwell  crocodiles  of  great  size,  water- 
snakes  who  live  on  human  flesh,  and  all  kinds  of  veno- 
mous reptiles.  The  story-tellers  of  our  tribe  say  that 
the  reason  none  has  found  it  is  because  there  is 
emitted,  from  the  Lake  of  the  Accursed,  vapors  so 
deadly  as  to  prevent  any  one  from  approaching  the 
rock  sufficiently  near  to  distinguish  its  outline.  It  is 
the  abode  of  the  Death-god." 

"  Art  thou  not  afraid  to  accompany  me  in  this 
search  ? "  I  asked,  knowing  how  superstitious  are  the 
negroes. 

"  It  is  the  Lalla's  will,"  he  answered,  simply.  "  Thou, 
an  Arab  from  the  North  and  my  lady's  friend,  art  seek- 
ing to  deliver  her  from  bondage,  therefore  where  thou 
goest,  there  also  will  I  bearthee  company." 

"  Bravely  spoken,"  I  said,  and  after  a  pause  told  him 
of  the  conspiracy  that  had  been  formed  against  the 
Sultan.  With  breathless  interest  he  listened  while  I 
related  how  I  had  discovered  its  existence  ;  then,  when 
I  had  finished,  he  half  rose,  saying, — 

"  But  the  Lalla  shall  never  grace  the  harem  of  the 
cruel,  brutal  Khalifa.  I  myself  will  save  her." 

"  I  cannot  give  her  warning,  for  I  dare  not  again  ap- 
proach her,"  I  pointed  out,  with  sorrow. 

"  Shall  I  go  back  and  tell  her,  while  thou  remainest 
here  until  my  return  ?  "  he  suggested. 

"  No,"  I  answered,  on  reflection.  "  Silence  is  best 
at  present.  For  four  months,  at  least,  Kano  is  safe. 
If  the  Sultan  is  warned  within  that  time,  his  enemies 
may  be  overthrown." 

"  The  dastardly  plot  of  the  abuser  of  the  salt,  the 
vile  offspring  of  Shimr,  shall  be  thwarted,"  he  cried, 
fiercely.  "  The  heads  of  its  originators  shall  rot  upon 
the  city  gate,  and  none  shall  enter  the  presence  of  the 
Lalla,  with  whose  beauty  none  can  compare." 


140  Gbe  Bse  of  ITstar. 


"  Act  not  rashly,"  I  said.  "  We  know  the  secret  of 
the  conspirators,  therefore  we  may  be  able  to  thwart 
them  so  neatly  that  they  fall  victims  to  their  own  plot. 
Let  us  act  with  care  and  discretion,  that  the  Empire 
may  be  saved  from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  wild- 
haired  fanatics  of  Omdurmau,  who,  although  my  com- 
rades-in-arms, are  not  my  tribesmen." 

"  Be  it  even  as  thou  commandest,"  he  answered. 
"  My  life  is  equally  at  thy  service  to  secure  the  undo- 
ing of  the  traitor,  as  for  the  diligent  search  we  are 
about  to  make  for  the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin,"  and  the 
claw-like  fingers  of  the  dwarf  slowly  grasped  his  pipe- 
stem,  as  he  smoked  on  thoughtfully. 

In  the  deep  silence  of  the  desert,  under  the  pale 
light  of  the  moon,  that  rose  from  the  direction  of  the 
city  from  which  we  were  fleeing,  I  sat,  plunged  in 
reverie,  wondering  whether  my  search  would  prove 
successful.  My  head  ached,  my  lips  were  parched,  and 
I  felt  spent  with  long  travel,  therefore,  scooping  a  hole 
in  the  sand,  I  threw  myself  down  to  snatch  a  few  hours' 
repose,  as  we  had  decided  to  be  moving  again  before 
sunrise. 

Sleep  must  have  come  to  my  eyes  quickly,  for  I  was 
suddenly  awakened  by  the  dwarf  shaking  me,  and  say- 
ing in  a  low  whisper,  as  he  placed  his  quick  ear  to  the 
sand,  — 

"  Hearken  !  Canst  thou  not  hear  the  thud  of  horses' 
hoofs  ?  Thine  absence  hath  been  detected,  and  we  are 
pursued  !  " 

And,  as  I  strained  my  ears,  I  could  distinctly  detect 
the  regular,  monotonous  thud  of  a  horse  urged  across 
the  desert  at  terrific  pace  ;  and,  as  I  knelt  upon  the 
sand,  I  grasped  the  rifle  that  I  had  found  packed  on 
the  camel,  and  held  it  loaded  in  readiness  —  prepared 
to  defend  myself,  an  example  which  Tiamo  immediately 


ttbe  Blarm.  141 

followed.     In  the  desert  no  law  is  recognized  but  that 
of  the  strong  arm  and  the  keen  blade. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE    ALARM. 

RAPIDLY  the  solitary  horseman  drew  near,  galloping 
as  if  for  life.  Being  alone,  it  seemed  probable  that  he 
had  been  sent  forward  by  our  pursuers  to  endeavor  to 
obtain  traces  of  us,  and  as  the  fleet  Arab  steed  ap- 
proached, Tiamo,  stretched  upon  the  ground,  took 
careful  and  deliberate  aim,  ready  to  fire  as  soon  as  he 
approached  within  range. 

Our  camels  lazily  raised  their  heads  to  survey  the 
newcomer,  stirred  uneasily  as  if  they  had  presage  of 
danger,  and  as  on  the  alert  we  awaited  the  approach  of 
the  mysterious  rider,  we  discerned  to  our  dismay  that 
he  wore  a  white  burnouse. 

"  Behold  !  "  whispered  the  dwarf,  "  it  is  one  of  our 
Zamfara,  who  always  act  as  scouts  !  He  must  die  if  we 
intend  to  escape." 

It  seemed  that  he  had  not  discovered  us,  but  was  on 
his  way  to  the  well  to  water  his  horse,  therefore  I  an- 
swered,— 

"  Take  not  his  life  unless  the  circumstances  demand 
extreme  measures.  At  least  let  him  approach  and 
have  speech  with  us  ere  thou  firest." 

"  Conquest  lieth  with  those  who  strike  the  first  blow," 
he  replied,  a  sinister  grin  upon  his  ugly  visage  as  again 
he  covered  the  approaching  figure  with  his  rifle  and 
carefully  took  aim.  At  that  moment,  however,  the 
galloping  ngirma  emerged  into  the  moonlight,  revealing 


142  £be  JE^e  of  Itetar. 

a  strange  awkwardness  in  its  white-robed  rider's  man- 
ner that  struck  me  as  remarkable,  and  as  it  dashed  for- 
ward and  became  more  distinct,  the  truth  flashed  upon 
me. 

"  By  my  beard  !  "  I  cried  aloud,  knocking,  with  sud- 
den impulse,  the  rifle  from  Tiamo's  hand.  "By  my 
beard  !  It's  a  woman  !  " 

The  rifle  exploded,  but  the  bullet  went  wide.  The 
rider,  startled  at  the  shot,  and  thinking  she  had  been 
fired  at,  pulled  her  horse  instantly  upon  its  haunches, 
and  sat  peering  in  our  direction,  motionless,  in  fear. 

"  Advance,  and  fear  not,  O  friend  !  "  I  shouted  to 
her,  rising  to  my  feet,  but  my  peaceful  declarations  had 
to  be  thrice  repeated  ere  she  summoned  courage  to 
move  forward  to  us,  the  bridle  trembling  in  her  hands. 
On  approaching,  however,  she  slipped  quickly  from  the 
saddle  of  the  foam-flecked  animal,  and  tearing  her 
haick  from  her  face,  bounded  over  the  sand  towards  us. 

Her  appearance  struck  us  speechless  with  amazement. 

The  mysterious  rider  whom  we  had  feared,  and  who 
had  so  very  narrowly  escaped  death  by  our  hand,  was 
Ayesha,  the  dumb  slave  of  Azala. 

With  one  accord  we  both  eagerly  inquired  the  ob- 
ject of  her  wild  ride  in  the  lonely  desert  so  far  from 
Kano  at  that  hour,  but  she  merely  shook  her  head  in- 
dicative of  her  inability  to  reply,  and  pressed  her  brown 
hand  to  her  side,  being  compelled  to  halt  for  a  moment 
to  recover  breath.  In  the  moonlight  we  could  see  the 
look  of  fear  and  excitement  in  her  dark  eyes,  with  their 
kohl-marked  brows,  but  although  she  gesticulated 
wildly,  we  failed  to  catch  her  meaning. 

"  Her  mouth  refuseth  to  utter  sound,"  observed  the 
dwarf.  "Yet  she  seemeth  to  have  followed  us  with 
some  important  object.  No  halt  hath  she  made  since 
leaving  Kano,  judging  by  the  dust  about  her  and  the 


alarm.  143 

spent  condition  of  her  horse,  which,  by  the  way,  be- 
longeth  to  the  Aga  of  the  Janissaries,  and  one  of  the 
fleetest  that  the  Sultan  possesseth." 

He  spoke  rapidly  in  Arabic,  and  the  slave,  unac- 
quainted with  any  but  her  native  Hausa  tongue,  gazed 
in  embarrassment  from  Tiamo's  face  to  mine. 

"  Cannot  she  write  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Alas  !  no,"  answered  my  hideous  little  companion. 
"  So  carefully  hath  she  studied  the  Lalla  that  she  an- 
ticipateth  her  wishes  by  the  looks  in  her  eyes." 

While  thus  in  conversation,  wondering  how  we  could 
obtain  the  truth  from  her,  she  rushed  towards  her 
horse,  and  seizing  its  bridle,  brought  it  towards  us. 
Then,  with  a  smile  of  triumph  upon  her  brown, 
wrinkled  face,  she  inserted  her  thin  hand  beneath  the 
leather  of  the  saddle,  and  produced  therefrom  a  letter 
folded  small,  and  addressed  in  Arabic  to  myself. 

The  sprawly  characters  I  recognized  instantly  as 
Azala's,  and  on  tearing  it  open  I  found  it  bore  the  seal 
of  her  ancient  signet-ring,  shaped  like  an  Egyptian  sca- 
rab. Tiamo  El-Sadie,  anticipating  my  requirements, 
quickly  kindled  a  piece  of  paper,  and  by  its  uncertain 
light  I  was  enabled  to  decipher  the  hasty  message  from 
the  woman  I  loved,  which  read  as  follows  : — 

"  Fly  instantly  to  the  city  of  Sokoto,  O  Zafar,  my  Beloved. 
Thine  enemies  seek  thy  life,  and  are  already  in  search  of  thee. 
Three  hours  after  I  had  watched  thy  departure  from  my  lat- 
tice my  father  came  unto  me,  and  although  I  denied  thy  visit 
in  order  to  shield  thee,  it  was  apparent  that  thou  hast  been  be- 
trayed, for  he  is  aware  of  thy  return.  As  thou  hast  truly 
said,  hefeareth  thee  because  thou  bear est  the  Mark  of  the  Asps, 
for  he  compelled  me  to  uncoi.>er  the  mark  I  bear,  so  that  he 
might  gaze  upon  it  and  compare  it  with  thine.  Before  me 
upon  the  Kordn  he  hath  sworn  that  thou  shalt  die.  Already 
two  troops  of  one  hundred  horsemen  each  have  left  the  Kofa- 
n-Kura  aud  have  scattered  over  the  desert  in  search  of  thee. 


144  Gbe  Bge  of  flstar. 


Fly  !  Halt  not,  for  my  sake,  so  that  thou  reachest  the  city  of 
Sokoto  ere  news  of  the  Sidtan's  wrath  can  be  conveyed  thither. 
When  thou  reachest  the  city,  seek  at  once  the  dyer  Mohammed 
el-Arewa,  who  liveth  in  the  Gazubi  quarter,  and  deliver  unto 
him  the  message  Ayesha  beareth  thee.  He  will  conduct  thee 
into  the  Mountains  of  Kambari,  where  thou  canst  escape  the 
vigilance  of  spies  and  continue  thy  journey  unmolested.  Halt 
not,  but  speed  on,  for  thine  enemies  are  closely  following  thy 
camels  tracks.  My  haste  causeth  my  hand  to  tremble,  but 
Ayesha  hath  confidence  in  overtaking  thee.  Fly,  and  may 
Allah  favor  thee,  and  protect  thee  with  the  invulnerable 
shield  of  his  blessing.  Peace." 

Looking  into  the  face  of  the  dark-eyed  slave  who 
had  so  devotedly  served  her  mistress,  and  undertaken 
a  journey  that  few  women  could  have  accomplished,  I 
stretched  forth  my  hand  for  the  second  letter,  which 
she  gave  me.  It  bore  Azala's  seal,  and  was  addressed 
to  Mohammed  el-Arewa. 

"  Lift,  O  master,  from  thy  servant's  heart,  the  anxiety 
oppressing  it,  by  telling  him  what  news  the  mute  hath 
brought,"  Tiamo  said. 

"  We  must  travel  at  once  to  Sokoto,"  I  answered, 
briefly.  "  Let  us  replace  the  camels'  packs,  for  sleep 
must  not  come  again  to  our  eyes  ere  we  enter  the  city." 

"  Do  our  enemies  pursue  us  ?  "  he  inquired,  eagerly. 

"  Yes.  To  reach  Sokoto,  and  gain  the  assistance  of 
one  Mohammed  el-Arewa,  is  our  only  chance  of 
escape." 

"  Let  us  set  forth,"  he  said  promptly,  walking  towards 
where  the  camels  were  kneeling.  Then  turning,  he 
added,  "  Hast  thou  forgotten  thou  still  wearest  the 
silk  robe  of  a  eunuch  ?  Assuredly  it  will  attract  the 
eyes  of  all  men.  Remove  it  and  attire  thyself  in  these," 
and  rummaging  in  one  of  the  camels'  packs,  he  pro- 
duced the  white  haick  and  burnouse  of  an  Arab,  to- 
gether with  the  rope  of  brown  twisted  camel's  hair 


Zlbe  alarm.  145 

to  wind  around  the  head,  so  as  to  keep  the  haick  in 
place. 

While  he  loaded  our  camels  I  carried  out  his  sugges- 
tion, quickly  transforming  myself  from  a  eunuch  of  the 
Sultan  of  Sokoto  to  a  plain  wanderer  of  the  desert. 
With  Ayesha  we  could  only  converse  by  gesticulation, 
rendering  her  thanks  for  conveying  the  message  unto 
us. 

Having  no  writing  materials,  I  cut  from  my  camel's 
trappings  a  piece  of  soft  goatskin,  and  with  the  point 
of  a  knife  traced  roughly  in  Arabic  the  words, — 

"  Verily  a  plot  is  on  foot  to  encompass  the  overthrow  of  thy 
dynasty,  Warn  thy  father,  the  Sultan,  of  the  conspiracy  be- 
tween the  Khalifa  Abdullah  and  his  Grand  Eunuch  Khazneh, 
This  message  Ayesha  beareth  from  thy  friend,  Zafar." 

On  giving  it  to  the  slave  to  convey  to  her  mistress, 
she  concealed  it  next  her  tattooed  breast.  From  our 
little  store  we  gave  her  some  dates,  and  as  she  motioned 
her  intention  of  remaining  to  rest,  and  returning  to 
Kano  at  dawn,  we  tethered  her  horse  for  her.  Then, 
mounting  our  camels,  we  gave  her  "  peace,"  and  rode 
out  again  upon  the  silent,  boundless  plain. 

The  moon  no  longer  shed  her  light ;  an  intense 
darkness  had  fallen — that  darkness  which  is  invariably 
precursory  of  the  sandstorm.  Without  even  a  star  by 
which  to  guide  ourselves  we  trusted  that  by  good  for- 
tune we  were  travelling  in  the  right  direction.  The 
dwarf,  who  had  once  before  been  over  the  ground,  was 
searching  for  a  landmark,  and,  to  our  mutual  satisfac- 
tion, half-an-hour  after  dawn  he  discovered  it. 

"  Lo  !  "  he  cried  excitedly,  shouting  back  to  me  and 
pointing  to  where,  far  away  on  the  gray,  misty  horizon, 
a  large  hill  appeared.  "  We  are  not  mistaken,  for  we 
have  struck  the  caravan  route.  Yonder  is  the  Rock  of 
Mikia,  and  behind  it,  the  village  of  Dsafe.  Before 


146  Gbe  JEsQt  of  Istar. 


noon  we  shall  enter  the  valley  through  which  windeth 
a  river,  and  continuing  along  its  bank,  we  shall  be 
within  the  gate  of  Sokoto  ere  it  closeth  at  sunset." 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

MOHAMMED    EL-AREWA. 

AFTER  halting  to  refresh  ourselves,  during  which 
time  I  snatched  a  few  moments  to  perform  my  sujdah, 
we  remounted,  and  through  the  whole  day,  regardless 
of  the  sun's  fiery  rays,  which  struck  down  upon  us  like 
tongues  of  fire,  we  pushed  forward  over  a  rough,  stony 
wilderness,  devoid  of  herbage  or  any  living  thing  except 
the  great,  gray  vultures  circling  above  with  ominous 
persistency. 

Throughout  the  day,  my  ugly  little  negro  companion 
continually  fingered  his  strange  amulets,  uttering  curi- 
ous pagan  incantations  in  his  own  tongue,  while  to  my- 
self I  repeated  the  "  Kul-ya-ayyuha  "1-Kafiruna,"  and 
the  "  Kul-Huw'  Allah,"  more  than  once  inclined  to  up- 
braid my  friend  as  an  infidel.  But,  on  reflection,  I  saw 
that  any  words  of  reproach  would  pain  him  to  no  pur- 
pose, therefore  I  held  my  peace.  His  face,  black  as 
polished  ebony,  seemed  to  grow  increasingly  ugly  as  he 
became  more  wearied ;  when  he  smiled  his  mouth 
stretched  from  ear  to  ear,  and  the  craning  of  his  neck, 
as  he  swayed  with  the  undulating  motion  of  his  camel, 
gave  him  a  weird,  grotesque  appearance,  even  in  the 
brilliant  glare  of  noon.  The  beads,  trinkets,  pieces  of 
lizard  skin,  and  mysterious  scraps  of  wood  and  stone 
strung  around  his  neck,  he  constantly  caressed,  while 
twice  he  suddenly  dismounted,  and  holding  his  hands 


flfcobammefc  eUSrewa.  147 

aloft,  frisked  like  an  ape,  yelling  at  the  sun  as  if  he  had 
taken  leave  of  his  senses. 

Notwithstanding  his  extreme  ugliness  and  his  strange 
actions,  I  nevertheless  grew  to  like  him,  for  he  seemed 
genuinely  devoted  to  me,  as  a  slave  should  be  to  his 
master. 

Two  hours  after  high  noon,  when  the  sun  was  begin- 
ning to  veer  round  and  shine  directly  into  our  faces, 
we  entered  the  Wady  al-Ward  (the  Vale  of  Flowers) 
the  dwarf  had  mentioned.  Beside  the  small  river — 
scarcely  more  than  a  brook — we  journeyed  over  ground 
thickly  covered  with  herbage  and  flowers.  For  a  few 
minutes  we  allowed  our  camels  to  browse,  then  urged 
them  on,  remembering  it  was  imperative  that  we  should 
arrive  at  Sokoto  before  the  gate  closed  for  the  night. 
The  shadow  cast  by  the  rocks,  the  cool  rippling  of  the 
water,  and  the  fertility  of  the  country  we  appreciated 
after  the  arid,  sun-baked  wilderness.  But  as  we  jour- 
neyed on  we  found  grim  relics  of  an  attack  which  had 
evidently  been  made  some  months  before  upon  a  cara- 
van, for  fresh,  green  garlands  of  ropeweed  and  creepers 
had  festooned  decayed  skulls,  and  entwined  about  the 
bleaching  bones  of  arms  and  legs,  now  and  then  blos- 
soming into  brilliant  clusters  of  scarlet  or  blue  flowers. 

Through  the  valleys  we  wound  for  many  hours,  while 
the  sky  changed  from  blue  to  gold,  and  from  gold  to 
crimson,  until  at  last  the  sun  slowly  sank  before  us 
with  that  gorgeous  flood  of  color  only  to  be  witnessed 
in  Central  Africa,  and  the  low  hills,  bristling  with 
mimosa  and  doum  palms,  assumed  singular  forms  and 
uncouth  dimensions  in  the  twilight  mirage. 

In  the  rapidly-falling  gloom  our  eyes  were  at  last 
gladdened  by  the  sight  of  the  tall  minarets  of  Sokoto, 
but  the  tall,  bronzed  guards  at  the  city  gate  are  ever 
wary,  and  a  strange  scene  was  enacted.  It  appeared 


148  Cbe  J6ge  of  Istar. 

that  with  the  people  of  Sokoto  the  measures  formerly 
taken  to  guard  against  surprise  are  now  observed  as  a 
matter  of  form  and  etiquette.  Hence,  as  we  approached 
the  gate  the  guards  crouched,  and  throwing  their  li- 
tham  over  the  lower  part  of  their  faces  in  Tuareg  fash- 
ion, grasped  the  inseparable  spear  in  the  right  and  the 
shangermangor  in  their  left  hand.  This  action  caused 
us  considerable  anxiety,  but  after  these  preliminaries 
they  began  to  inquire  our  names  and  places  of  abode, 
afterwards  giving  us  "  peace,"  and  allowing  us  to  pro- 
ceed. For  a  few  minutes  we  halted  to  gossip,  so  as  not 
to  appear  in  undue  haste,  and  just  as  the  call  for  even- 
ing prayer  was  sounding  and  the  guards  were  beating 
the  great  drum  to  announce  the  closing  of  the  gate,  we 
passed  into  the  spacious  market,  wherein  a  caravan  of 
many  camels  were  taking  their  ease  preparatory  to 
starting  for  Timbuktu  on  the  morrow. 

Riding  on  through  the  city — the  ancient  and  now 
discarded  capital  of  the  Sultan  'Othman's  empire — we 
found  it  very  extensive,  and  although  the  character  of 
the  houses  was  much  more  primitive  than  those  of 
Moorish  type  in  Kano,  yet  there  was  manifested  every- 
where the  comfortable,  pleasant  life  led  by  the  inhabi- 
tants. Each  courtyard  was  fenced  with  a  "  derne  "  of 
tall  reeds,  excluding,  to  a  certain  degree,  the  eyes  of 
the  passer-by  without  securing  to  the  interior  abso- 
lute secrecy  ;  and  each  house  had,  near  its  entrance,  the 
cool,  shady  "  runfa  "  or  place  for  the  reception  of 
strangers  or  the  transaction  of  business,  with  a  "  shibki  " 
roof,  and  the  whole  dwelling  shaded  by  spreading  trees. 

The  people,  although  of  cheerful  temperament, 
appeared  more  simple  in  their  dress  than  in  Kano. 
The  men  wore  a  wide  shirt  and  trousers  of  dark  color, 
with  a  light  cap  of  cotton  cloth,  while  the  female  popu- 
lation affected  a  large  cotton  cloth  of  dark  blue 


el^Srewa.  149 

fastened  under  or  above  the  breast,  their  only  orna- 
ments being  strings  of  glass  beads  worn  around  the 
neck.  Proud,  ignorant,  bigoted  and  insolent,  the  peo- 
ple of  Sokoto  are  all  owners  of  cattle,  camels,  horses 
and  slaves.  These  latter,  along  with  the  women,  gen- 
erally cultivate  some  fields  of  dhurra,  or  corn,  sufficient 
for  their  wants.  The  Arab,  in  Sokoto,  would  consider 
it  a  disgrace  to  practice  any  manual  labor.  He  is 
essentially  a  hunter,  a  robber  and  a  warrior,  and,  after 
caring  for  his  cattle,  devotes  all  his  energies  to  slave- 
hunting  and  war.  The  lower  classes  are  simply  a  rab- 
ble of  filth,  petty  mendicancy,  gaol-bird  physiognomy 
and  cringing  hypocrisy. 

Passing  through  several  markets  crowded  by  chatter- 
ing throngs,  and  up  a  number  of  close  streets  where 
idle  men  and  women  were  lounging,  and  where  the 
heat  from  the  stones  reflected  into  one's  face,  we  at 
last  found  the  marina,  or  dyeing  place,  near  the  'city 
wall.  It  consisted  of  a  raised  platform  of  clay  with  a 
number  of  holes  or  pits  in  which  the  mixture  of  indigo 
was  prepared,  and  the  cloths  were  placed  for  a  certain 
length  of  time,  according  to  the  colour  it  was  desired 
they  should  assume.  It  was  beside  one  of  these  holes, 
working  by  the  light  of  a  rude  torch,  his  arms  immersed 
in  the  dark  blue  dye,  that  we  found  the  Arab  we 
sought. 

As  we  gave  him  "  peace  "  he  rose  to  his  feet  with  dig- 
nity, and  dried  his  stained  hands.  He  was  about  sixty, 
tall,  with  kindly,  sharp-cut  features,  and  a  long,  sweep- 
ing beard  flecked  with  gray.  Taking  Azala's  letter, 
he  opened  it,  read  it  carefully  twice,  caressed  his 
patriarchal  beard,  and  placed  the  paper  in  a  pocket 
beneath  his  burnouse.  Then  turning,  he  said, — 

"  Upon  thee  be  perfect  peace,  O  friends.  Welcome 
to  the  poor  hospitality  of  the  roof  of  Mohammed  el- 


150  £be  JEge  of  Ttetar. 

Arewa.  Take  thine  ease  to-night,  for  ere  the  sun  riseth 
over  the  blue  hills  of  Salame,  we  must  set  forth  if  thou 
wouldst  escape  those  who  seek  thy  destruction."  Then, 
after  blowing  out  his  torch,  he  addressed  me,  saying, 
"Art  thou  the  friend  of  the  Lalla  Azala  ?" 

"  She  is  my  friend,"  I  answered,  with  promptitude. 

"  Discretion  sealeth  thy  lips,"  he  observed,  laughing. 
"  Well,  I,  too,  loved  once  at  thine  age.  If  thou  art,  as 
I  suspect,  the  lover  of  the  beauteous  Azala,  of  a  verity 
thou  hast  chosen  well.  Happy  the  man  who  basketh 
in  the  rose-garden  of  her  smiles.  To  her  I  owe  the 
freedom  of  my  only  child,  my  daughter,  who,  captured 
by  the  Tuaregs,  was  sold  to  the  accursed  Grand  Vizier 
Mahaza — may  Allah  burn  his  vitals  ! — and  only  by  the 
intercession  of  the  Lalla  was  she  released.  I  am  Azala 
Fathma's  devoted  slave,  to  do  as  she  commandeth," 
adding  in  a  lower  tone,  as  if  to  himself,  "Women  swal- 
low atone  mouthful  the  lie  that  flattereth,  and  drink 
drop  by  drop  the  truth  that  is  bitter.  But  the  Lalla 
Azala  careth  not  for  flattery,  and  seeketh  only  to  do 
good.  She  is  a  pearl  among  women." 

Then  accompanying  him  to  his  house  close  to  the 
principal  gate,  we  were  treated  as  honored  visitors. 
A  guestdish,  sweet  as  the  dates  of  Al-jauf,  was  prepared 
for  us,  and  we  ate  fara,  or  roasted  locusts  seasoned 
with  cheese,  tuwo-n-magaria,  or  bread  made  from  the 
fruit  of  the  magaria  tree,  roasted  fowl  and  dates, 
washed  down  with  copious  draughts  of  giya  made  of 
sorghum.  After  our  meal,  eight  negro  girls  came  forth 
and  gratified  our  ears  with  a  performance  on  various 
instruments.  There  was  the  gauga,  very  much  like 
our  own  Arab  derbouka,  only  larger,  the  long  wind  in- 
strument, or  pampamme,  a  shorter  one  like  a  flute,  called 
the  elgaita,  the  double  tambourine  called  the  kalango, 
the  koso,  the  jojo,  or  small  derbouka,  and  the  kafo,  or 


flbobammeD  el*Brewa.  is1 

small   horn,  which  in   unison  created  an  ear-splitting 
tumult  impossible  to  adequately  describe. 

The  negresses  blew,  thumped  and  grinned  as  if  their 
lives  depended  upon  the  amount  of  sound  they  obtained 
from  their  various  instruments,  but,  worn  out  by  the 
forced  march,  I  heeded  not  their  well-meant  efforts  to 
entertain,  and  actually  fell  into  a  heavy  slumber  with 
the  mouthpiece  of  the  pipe  my  host  had  thoughtfully 
provided  for  me  still  between  my  lips. 

In  the  night,  awakened  suddenly  by  the  loud  blow- 
ing of  a  horn  and  frantic  shouting,  I  lay  and  listened. 
As  it  continued  I  got  up  and  aroused  Tiamo,  who  slept 
near.  For  some  minutes  we  strained  our  ears  to  ascer- 
tain the  cause  of  the  hubbub,  apparently  at  the  city 
gate,  when  suddenly  our  host  burst  into  the  apartment 
panting. 

"  Alas  !  "  he  cried,  in  a  hoarse  whisper.  "  The  sol- 
diers of  the  Sultan  have  arrived.  Listen  !  " 

The  noise  continued.  Armed  men  were  battering  on 
the  great  gate  that  closed  at  night-fall  and  never 
opened  till  dawn,  except  to  admit  an  Imperial  messen- 
ger. We  could  distinctly  hear  their  voices  demanding 
admittance  in  the  name  of  the  Sultan! 

"  Already  have  I  bribed  the  guards  of  the  Kofa  with 
twenty  pieces  of  silver.  When  questioned,  they  will 
deny  thine  entrance  here,"  the  old  dyer  exclaimed  in 
reassuring  tones,  as  at  the  same  moment  there  fell  upon 
our  ears  the  answering  voices  of  the  sleepy  guards, 
urging  them  to  be  patient  while  the  gate  was  unbarred. 

Tiamo  and  I  exchanged  uneasy  and  significant 
glances  in  the  dim  light  shed  by  a  hanging  lamp  of 
brass. 

"Suppose  they  determine  to  search  for  us,"  the  dwarf 
suggested,  in  alarm. 

"  The  assurance  of  the  guards  will  throw  them  off  our 


152  Gbe  E^e  of  1F0tar. 

scent,  and  at  dawn  they  will  rest  after  their  long  jour- 
ney. Then  will  the  gate  be  opened,  and  we  shall  be 
enabled  to  escape.  Take  thine  ease  in  peace,  for  of  a 
verity,  the  way  will  be  long  ere  thou  canst  again  rest.'' 

And  hastily  raising  the  curtain  that  hung  before  the 
arched  door,  he  disappeared. 

Feeling  myself  safe  beneath  the  hospitable  roof  of 
one  who  owed  to  Azala  a  deep  debt  of  gratitude,  I 
threw  myself  again  upon  my  divan,  and  soon  dreamed 
of  the  beautiful  woman  whose  countenance  fascinated 
me,  and  whose  glorious  hair  held  me  entangled  in  its 
silky  web.  How  long  I  dreamed  I  cannot  tell,  for  again 
I  was  awakened,  this  time  by  the  ugly  dwarf  shaking 
me  by  the  shoulder. 

"  Rise,  O  master,"  cried  El-Sadie,  in  alarm.  "  We  are 
discovered  !  Already  the  soldiers  of  the  Sultan  have 
entered  the  house  !  " 

As,  half  dazed,  I  stood  rubbing  my  eyes  in  wonder- 
ment, Mohammed  el-Arewa  burst  in  upon  us,  gasping 
in  a  low  tone, — 

"  Gather  thy  belongings  quickly,  and  follow  me.  It 
is  thine  only  chance." 

In  less  time  than  it  occupies  to  relate,  we  snatched  up 
our  articles  of  dress,  and  hurried  after  him  through 
several  doors,  until  he  came  to  a  double  one,  whereat 
was  seated  a  black  slave.  As  we  passed  quickly 
through  this,  the  odor  of  fragrant  perfumes  greeted 
our  nostrils,  and,  in  the  semi-darkness,  there  was  the 
frou-frou  of  silk,  and  the  sound  of  hasty,  shuffling  feet. 
A  second  later,  we  found  ourselves  in  a  small  apart- 
ment, lit  more  brightly  than  the  others,  tastefully  dec- 
orated in  green  and  gold,  and  containing  many  priceless 
Arab  rugs  and  soft  divans. 

"  Rest  here  undisturbed,"  he  said,  waving  his  hands  in 
the  direction  of  the  inviting-looking  lounges,  around 


flbobammefc  eUBrewa.  153 

which  were  scattered  traces  of  women's  occupation. 
"  Within  the  apartments  sacred  to  my  women  they  will 
not  search  for  thee.  Though  I  commit  an  offence 
against  our  law,  thou  art  safe  in  this,  my  harem.  I  will 
shield  thee,  even  with  mine  own  life,  for  the  sake  of  the 
Lalla  Azala,  upon  whom  may  Allah  ever  shower  his 
blessings  !  Rest,  then,  while  I  go  and  complete  the 
preparations  for  our  flight." 

"  We  thank  thee,  O  father  ! "  I  answered,  fervently. 
"  May  thy  face  be  ever  brightened  by  the  sun  of  Allah's 
favor  ! " 

But  he  was  already  out  of  hearing,  so  suddenly  did 
he  leave  us. 

Within  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  sounds  of  a  loud  and 
fierce  altercation  reaching  us,  caused  us  to  stand  rigid 
and  silent.  So  rapidly  were  the  words  spoken  in  the 
Hausa  tongue,  that  many  of  them  were  to  me  unintelli- 
gible, but,  glancing  at  the  dwarf,  I  noticed  that  his 
brow  was  contracted.  His  eyes  glittered  with  a  keen, 
murderous  expression  that  I  had  never  seen  before, 
as,  with  unsheathed  knife  in  hand,  he  stood  near  the 
doorway  of  the  harem  on  the  alert,  determined  not 
to  be  taken  without  a  struggle,  and  to  sell  his  life 
dearly. 

The  curtain  on  the  opposite  side  of  our  place  of  con- 
cealment stirred,  and  a  fair  face  peered  forth  inquisi- 
tively, listening  as  attentively  as  ourselves,  to  the 
heated  argument  outside.  Her  great,  fathomless  eyes 
were  surmounted  by  two  delicately-pencilled  arches, 
and  her  black,  glossy  hair  fell  down  her  neck,  covering 
her  cheeks  with  its  warm  shadows. 

With  a  suddenness  that  startled  us,  a  deep  voice, 
raised  louder  than  the  others,  expressed  a  conviction 
that  we  were  hidden  there,  and  declared  his  intention 
of  making  a  thorough  search,  whereupon  approaching 


of  1T0tar. 

footsteps  sounded  on  the  paving  ;  the  young  woman 
withdrew  her  head  with  a  slight  scream,  realizing  that 
her  privacy  was  to  be  intruded  upon,  and  Tiamo  and  I 
stood  together,  dismayed  at  our  base  betrayal  by  the 
keepers  of  the  city  gate. 

It  was  an  exciting  moment.  In  desperation,  I  drew 
my  two-edged  jambiyah — determined  to  fight  desper- 
ately, rather  than  fall  alive  into  the  hands  of  the  Sul- 
tan's torturers. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE    FATHER   OF    THE    BLUE    HAND. 

As  with  bated  breath  we  listened,  Mohammed,  upon 
whom  Tiamo  had  bestowed  the  sobriquet  of  "  The 
Father  of  the  Blue  Hand,"  spoke  in  Arabic,  denying  in 
clear,  indignant  tones  that  any  stranger  had  found 
succor  beneath  his  roof,  and  expressing  his  readiness 
to  assist  his  Majesty  the  Sultan  in  arresting  the  ras- 
cally Dervish  spy. 

"  Proceed  no  further,"  he  cried,  evidently  barring 
their  way  resolutely.  "  Lend  me  thine  ears.  Though 
a  worker  at  the  dye-pots  I  have,  by  diligence  and  in- 
tegrity, amassed  riches,  and  am  honored  among  the 
men  of  Sokoto.  Desecrate  not  the  quarters  of  my 
wives  by  intruding  thy  presence  upon  them.  If  thou 
thinkest  that  I  lie  when  I  tell  thee  that  no  stranger 
hath  eaten  salt  with  me,  ask  of  the  Governor,  of  the 
Cadi,  of  the  Hadj  Al-Wali,  chief  imam,  whether  un- 
truths fall  from  my  lips.  By  my  beard  !  thou  art  mis- 
taken. Even  though  thou  art  fighting-men  of  the 
Sultan  'Othman — whom  may  Allah  enrich  and  guide  to 


ffatber  of  tbe  JSlue  t>an£>,  155 

just  actions  ! — his  Majesty  would  never  suffer  thee  to 
penetrate  into  his  servant's  harem." 

"  He  lieth  !  He  lieth  !  "  they  all  cried,  loudly.  "  The 
spy  came  hither,  accompanied  by  a  slave  of  small 
stature.  Own  it,  or  thy  lying  tongue  shall  be  cut 
out." 

And  one  of  the  men  added,  "  His  Majesty  hath  given 
us  orders  to  bring  unto  him  the  head  of  the  Dervish 
from  Omdurman — whom  may  Allah  cast  into  tfie  pit 
Al-Hawiyat  ! — but  thine  own  hoary  head  will  do  as 
well,"  wheareat  the  others,  with  one  accord,  jeered  at 
our  protector. 

The  declaration  of  my  pursuers  caused  my  heart  to 
sink.  To  be  decapitated  as  a  spy  was  as  deplorable  an 
end  as  to  starve  to  death  in  the  desert.  But  there 
was  no  escape  ;  I  resigned  myself  to  the  will  of  Allah. 

The  altercation  increased,  Mohammed  being  assailed 
with  a  thousand  maledictions,  while  my  ugly  compan- 
ion and  myself  held  our  peace  in  fear  and  trembling. 
Although  the  soldiers  alternately  threatened  and 
cajoled  for  a  considerable  time  none  entered  the  apart- 
ment wherein  we  stood,  yet  our  discovery  seemed  im- 
minent, and  looking  around  for  means  of  escape  we 
could  detect  none. 

Suddenly,  however,  there  was  a  shuffling  of  feet  upon 
the  flags,  and  a  voice,  loud  in  authority,  cried, — 

"  Back,  O  men-at-arms  !  What  meanest  this  ?  Let 
not  thy  feet  desecrate  the  mats  of  Mohammed  el- 
Arewa's  harem,  for  of  a  verity  he  is  honest  and  loyal,  a 
trusty  servant  of  our  Imperial  Master.  By  my  beard  ! 
thy  Koran  giveth  thee  no  right  to  intrude  upon  wo- 
man's domestic  privacy.  Back,  I  command  thee. 
Back  !  " 

"  Who  art  thou,  son  of  sebel,  who  vouchest  for  this 
dyer's  loyalty,  and  darest  to  give  orders  unto  the  emis- 


'56  Ebe  Ege  of  Ustar. 


saries  of  his  Majesty  ?  "  asked  one  of  the  armed  men, 
evidently  their  leader. 

"  My  name,"  cried  the  newcomer,  "  my  name  is 
Shukri  Aga.  I  am  Governor  of  Sokoto." 

Dead  silence  followed.  The  men  mumbled  together 
in  an  undertone,  while  our  friend  and  protector  briefly 
explained  the  position  of  affairs,  laying  stress  on  the 
fact  that  the  soldiers  had  threatened  to  strike  off  his 
head.  With  one  accord  the  men  fell  upon  their  knees 
before  the  representative  of  their  Sultan,  beseeching 
forgiveness,  declaring  that  they  had  been  misinformed, 
and  that  they  had  felt  assured  from  the  first  that  a 
devout  man  such  as  our  host,  would  never  harbor  a 
dangerous  spy. 

But  the  Governor  was  inexorable.  Irritated  by  the 
insolent  manner  in  which  his  right  to  interfere  had 
been  questioned,  he  turned  upon  them  angrily,  say- 

ing— 

"  Get  thee  gone  instantly.  To-morrow  the  cadi  shall 
curb  thine  excess  of  zeal,  and  peradventure  a  taste  of 
the  bastinado  will  cause  thee  to  remember  that  a  man's 
harem  is  sacred.  Begone  !  " 

Receding  footsteps  sounded  as  the  soldiers  of  the 
Sultan,  trembling  and  crestfallen,  having  evoked  the 
wrath  of  a  Governor  whose  harshness  was  notorious, 
filed  out  without  a  murmur.  Then  I  thanked  Allah  for 
my  deliverance,  while  my  pagan  companion  grinned 
with  satisfaction  from  ear  to  ear.  The  Governor 
crossed  the  patio  with  our  host,  and  remained  with 
him  drinking  coffee  and  smoking  for  a  full  half-hour, 
when  he  departed,  and  Mohammed  hastened  to  re- 
assure us,  exclaiming  piously,  "Inshallah  bukra  "  (Please 
God,  to-morrow),  afterwards  leaving  us  in  order  to 
conclude  his  arrangements  for  our  journey. 

By  what  means  he  succeeded  in  again  silencing  the 


Ebe  ffatber  ot  tbe  J^ue  f>atti>.  157 

tongues  of  the  two  watchmen  at  the  city  gate,  I  know 
not,  nevertheless,  when  the  moon  was  setting,  and  the 
dying  moonlight  and  the  first  pallor  of  dawn  were 
mingled  in  a  ghastly  half-light,  the  ponderous  gate 
creaked  upon  its  hinges,  and  I  passed  out,  accompanied 
by  the  dwarf  and  the  dyer.  We  fled  straight  on,  leav- 
ing our  path  to  fate. 

As  I  rode  my  meheri  rapidly  over  the  gray,  sandy 
plain,  under  a  sky  colorless  and  cheerless,  Mohammed 
showered  upon  me  a  profusion  of  the  finest  compli- 
ments, pronounced  in  the  most  refined  and  sweet  ac- 
cent of  which  the  Hausa  tongue  is  capable,  while  I, 
finding  myself  again  in  the  desert,  after  so  narrowly 
escaping  my  enemies,  thanked  him  sincerely  for  his 
strenuous  and  devoted  efforts  on  our  behalf. 

"  I  owe  much  to  the  Lalla  Azala — whom  may  Allah 
refresh  with  the  abundant  showers  of  his  blessings — 
and  her  friend  is  likewise  mine,"  he  said. 

He  was  showily  and  picturesquely  dressed  in  a  green 
and  white  striped  robe,  wide  trousers  of  a  speckled 
pattern  and  color,  like  the  plumage  of  a  Guinea-fowl, 
with  an  embroidery  of  green  silk  in  the  front  of  the 
legs.  Over  this  he  wore  a  crimson  burnouse,  while 
around  his  fez  a  red  and  white  turban  was  wound 
crosswise  in  neat  and  careful  manner.  A  gun  was 
slung  over  his  shoulder  by  means  of  thick  hangers  of 
red  silk  ornamented  with  enormous  tassels,  and  his 
hands  and  arms  were  still  stained  a  deep  blue.  His 
mount  was  a  splendid  camel,  the  head  and  neck  of 
which  was  fancifully  ornamented  with  a  profusion  of 
tassels,  bells,  and  little  leathern  pockets  containing 
charms. 

"  The  Lalla  Azala  desireth  me  to  conduct  thee  south 
to  the  border  of  the  land  of  Al-Islam,  so  that  thou 
canst  escape  thine  enemies,"  he  said,  when  we  turned 


158  Cbe  JE)?e  of  flstar. 

our  backs  upon  the  great,  sun-whitened  walls  of  the 
ancient  capital  of  Sokoto.  "  We  must  therefore  cross 
the  desert  and  gain  the  forest  with  all  speed,  for  doubt- 
less the  plains  are  being  scoured  by  hawk-eyed  horse- 
men, who  will  not  spare  thee,  now  that  a  price  hath 
been  set  upon  thine  head."  Then,  raising  his  hand 
before  him,  westward,  towards  the  dark,  low  range  of 
distant  hills,  he  added,  "  Yonder  are  the  Goulbi-n- 
Kebbi,  while  to  the  left  thou  seest  the  caravan-route 
that  leadeth  to  Gando.  To  venture  within  towns  or 
villages  would  be  unsafe,  therefore  we  must  cross  the 
hills  and  seek  the  forest  of  Tebkis  beyond." 

"  Knowest  thou  the  routes  in  the  forest  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Yes,  I  learned  them  years  ago  when,  in  my  youth, 
I  accompanied  the  ivory-traders  from  Agadez  far 
south,  even  unto  the  banks  of  the  mighty  Congo." 

"  And  the  route  we  are  following.  Whither  will  it 
lead  us  ? " 

"  To  the  Niger,  where  dwell  the  pagans,"  he  ans- 
wered. At  the  river  bank  I  shall  leave  thee  to  return 
to  my  home." 

"  In  thy  wanderings  in  the  south  thou  hast,  I  sup- 
pose, witnessed  many  strange  things,"  I  said,  knowing 
the  long,  tedious  journeys  performed  by  ivory  cara- 
vans. 

"  For  ten  weary  years  I  travelled  through  desert  and 
forest,"  he  answered,  "  and  many  strange  peoples  and 
strange  countries  of  the  pagans  have  mine  eyes  be- 
held." 

"  Yet,  during  thy  travels,  hast  thou  never  discovered 
the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin  of  which  the  wise  men 
tell?"  I  asked.  It  was  evident  Azala  had  not  dis- 
closed to  him  the  object  of  my  quest,  therefore  I  was 
determined  to  ascertain  what  he  knew  regarding  the 
Strange  legend. 


Gbe  ffatber  of  tbe  Blue  tmnfc.  159 

The  old  man  laughed,  shaking  his  head. 

"  Mine  eyes  have  never  been  gladdened  by  its  sight, 
although  many  are  assured  that  the  rock  actually  ex- 
isteth,  and  hideth  some  wondrous  marvel.  In  twenty 
lands  the  conviction  is  current  that  the  Rock  of  the 
Great  Sin  is  more  than  imaginary.  That  it  existeth, 
though  none  can  tell  where,  I  have  with  mine  own 
ears  heard  from  the  negroes  on  the  Dua  river,  as  well 
as  those  who  live  in  the  forests  of  far  Buraka.  In 
Dahomey,  in  Yorouba,  in  Foumbina,  in  the  country  of 
Samory,  in  the  desert  of  the  Daza,  and  in  the  great 
swamps  of  Zoulou  beyond  Lake  Tsad,  the  same  popu- 
lar conviction  existeth  as  firmly  as  among  our  own 
people.  The  pagans,  while  believing  as  implicitly  as 
we  of  Al-Islam  that  the  rock  is  unapproachable,  are 
also  imbued  with  an  idea  that  the  very  air  in  its  vi- 
cinity is  poisonous,  and  to  this  attribute  the  fact  that 
nobody  has  been  able  to  approach  sufficiently  near  to 
take  observations.  In  Gourma  the  negroes  declare 
that  the  rock  is  by  night  and  day  enveloped  in  a 
dense,  black  smoke  which  veileth  it  from  all  human 
eyes,  for  their  fire-god  resideth  there  and  hideth  him- 
self in  its  wondrous  fastnesses.  The  Bedouins  of  the 
Digguera  entertain  a  firm-rooted  conviction  that  the 
river  Al-Cawthar  and  the  paradise  of  those  who  fall 
valiantly  in  battle  lieth  beyond  the  mystic  rock  ;  the 
Bazou  of  the  Marpa  Mountains,  on  the  other  hand, 
maintain  that  the  rock  is  the  centre  of  the  earth,  that 
it  is  hollow,  and  that  those  who  betray  their  friends, 
or  who  attack  their  blood-brothers,  go  therein  to  dwell 
in  fearful  torment,  while  the  Kanouri  and  the  Tuaregs 
declare  it  to  be  the  abode  of  all  the  prophets,  martyrs 
and  saints  of  Al-Islam,  who,  though  believed  to  be 
dead  have  been  transported  thither  unseen.  They 
say  the  faces  of  the  holy  men  are  blooming,  their  eyes 


160  ^be  EEC  of  Ustar. 


bright,  and  blood  would  issue  from  their  bodies  if 
wounded,  and  further,  that  the  Angel  Israfil  watcheth 
over  them,  ready  to  sound  the  great  trumpet  on  the 
last  day.  These,  and  hundreds  of  such  quaint  beliefs 
have  been  related  to  me  by  negroes,  wise  men  and 
story-tellers  in  the  course  of  my  wanderings,  but  the 
Rock  of  the  Great  Sin  itself  no  man  hath  ever  set 
eyes  upon,  and  I  should  regard  as  a  maniac  any  per- 
son who  went  forth  expecting  to  discover  it." 

"  Why  ?  Are  there  not  many  regions  still  unknown 
to  men  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Truly,  but  our  perspicuous  Book  telleth  us  that 
what  Allah  hath  hidden  man  should  not  seek,"  he 
answered,  piously.  "  For  centuries  many  have,  out  of 
curiosity,  sought  the  strange  rock  which  pagans  be- 
lieve to  the  abode  of  their  gods,  and  some  sects  of 
Al-Islam  assert  is  the  dwelling-place  of  the  mighty 
dead,  but  none  has  discovered  it.  It  is  Allah's  will 
that  mortal  eyes  shall  never  rest  upon  it,  therefore 
bad  fortune  and  violent  death  overtake  those  who  defy 
the  divine  wrath  and  attempt  to  penetrate  the  mystery." 

"  Always  ?  " 

"  Always,"  the  old  man  answered,  with  solemnity. 
"  Upon  the  inquisitive,  Allah,  to  whom  the  knowledge 
belongeth,  setteth  the  mark  of  his  displeasure  with  the 
two-edged  sword  of  Death." 


fln  tbe  THau&erness.  161 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

IN    THE    WILDERNESS. 

ON  over  the  stony  hills  called  the  Goulbi-n-Kebbi, 
where  around  us  stretched,  as  far  as  our  wearied  eyes 
could  penetrate,  a  trackless  waste  of  yellow,  sunlit 
sand  ;  on  across  a  desert  peopled  only  with  echoes,  a 
wilderness  where  there  was  nothing  but  He,  and  where 
the  hot,  violent  wind  sent  blinding  clouds  of  dust  into 
our  faces  at  every  step  of  our  beasts  ;  on  over  the  rough 
rocks,  where  a  little  stunted  herbage  struggled  for  an 
existence,  we  pressed  forward,  scarcely  halting  through- 
out the  blazing,  breathless  day. 

Inured  as  I  was  to  the  baking  heat  and  many  hard- 
ships of  desert  life,  I  nevertheless  found  this  journey 
terribly  fatiguing.  But  Tiamo  and  I  were  flying  for 
our  lives.  To  escape  south  into  the  unknown  Negro- 
land  of  Central  Africa,  beyond  the  territory  of  the 
Sultan  '.Othman,  was  our  object,  therefore  neither  of 
us  complained  of  the  pace  at  which  our  solemn-faced 
guide  conducted  us. 

At  a  small  oasis,  where  we  found  an  encampment  of 
Salameat  Arabs,  we  exchanged  our  camels  for  asses, 
and  when  the  sun  sank  before  us  three  days  later  we 
entered  the  forest  of  Tebkis  by  a  track  which  led  due 
south  in  serpentine  wanderings,  and  compelled  us  to 
proceed  in  single  file.  Several  times  old  Mohammed 
drew  my  attention  to  the  traces  of  elephants.  We  had 
now  passed  beyond  the  boundary  of  the  Sultan's 
Empire,  and  had  at  last  entered  the  little-known  Land 
of  the  Pagans.  As  we  pushed  forward  the  forest 
became  more  dense,  but  the  trees  with  golden  shafts  of 
light  glinting  through  the  foliage,  cast  cool  shadows, 


1  62  ftbe  BBC  of  Istar. 


for  which  we  were  thankful.  Still  we  travelled  on, 
until,  just  as  it  was  time  for  prayers,  we  reached  the 
site  of  what  had  apparently  years  ago  been  a  large 
town. 

"  There  are  sad  recollections  connected  with  this 
spot,"  Mohammed  said,  in  answer  to  my  inquiries. 
"  In  my  early  youth  the  town  of  Kousara,  which  stood 
here,  was  an  important  place,  and  to  it  Ibrahim,  Sultan 
of  Sokoto,  the  predecessor  of  our  present  ruler,  retired 
after  his  palace  in  Sokoto  had  been  sacked  by  Magajin 
Haddedu,  King  of  Katsena,  which  at  that  time  was  an 
independent  state.  From  here  he  waged  unrelenting 
but  unsuccessful  war  against  the  bloody-minded  ene- 
mies of  Al-Islam,  and  once,  indeed,  the  troops  of 
Haddedu  were  driven  out  of  the  city  of  Sokoto  ;  but 
they  soon  returned  with  fresh  zeal  and  with  a  fresh 
force  of  fighting-men,  and  the  Sultan  Ibrahim  was  ex- 
pelled from  his  ancient  capital  for  ever.  Then  com- 
menced a  campaign  against  him,  in  this,  his  forest  re- 
treat, and  after  several  battles  this  town  of  Kousara 
was  taken,  ransacked  and  burnt." 

A  solitary  colossal  baobab,  raising  its  huge,  leafless, 
smoke-blackened  frame  from  the  prickly  underwood 
which  thickly  overgrew  the  locality,  pointed  out  the 
market-place,  once  teeming  with  life,  a  half-charred 
monument  of  a  fierce  and  desperate  struggle  for  re- 
ligious and  political  independence.  But  in  order  to  get 
away  from  this  neighborhood,  so  full  of  melancholy  as- 
sociations, Mohammed,  cursing  and  execrating  the 
memory  of  Haddedu,  pushed  forward  until  we  came  to 
a  large  granitic  mass  projecting  from  the  ground,  which 
my  Arab  companion  called  Korrematse,  and  stated  was 
once  a  place  of  worship  of  the  pagans.  Here  we  dis- 
mounted and  spread  our  mats  for  the  maghrib,  after- 
wards encamping  at  the  wild,  deserted  spot  until  dawn, 


f  n  tbe  TBHilOerness.  163 

when  we  moved  off  still  southward,  three  hours  later 
obtaining  our  first  glimpse  of  the  broad  Niger,  glitter- 
ing in  the  bright  morning  sunlight. 

At  the  river-bank  it  became  a  question  for  me  to  de- 
cide in  which  direction  I  should  travel  upon  my  strange 
quest — the  nature  of  which  I  had  been  careful  not  to 
impart  to  Mohammed — and  at  length,  knowing  that  in 
the  north  Gando,  Borgu  and  even  the  fetish  city  of 
Nikki  had  been  well  explored  by  traders  of  my  own 
race,  I  decided  to  continue  southward,  following  the 
river  as  far  as  possible,  and  then  striking  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  sunrise  across  the  unexplored  regions  in 
search  of  any  information  that  would  lead  me  to  the 
spot  where  was  promised  an  elucidation  of  the  indelible 
mark  I  bore,  and  of  a  mystery  which  had  puzzled  the 
wise  men  of  Al-Islam  for  centuries. 

After  much  parleying  and  considerable  persuasion, 
Mohammed  decided  to  accompany  us  through  the 
country  of  the  Nupes,  therefore  we  moved  along  the 
river  bank  through  swamps  of  giant  mangroves,  those 
weird  trees  with  gaunt  grotesque  roots  exposed  in  mid 
air  that  seemed  to  spend  their  leisure  in  forming  them- 
selves into  living  conundrums.  To  the  medley  of  un- 
sightly tree-forms  the  'contrast  of  the  bank  of  forest 
which  bordered  the  river-side  when  the  mangrove 
swamps  were  past  proved  a  welcome  and  pleasing  con- 
trast. 

Proceeding  with  difficulty  along  a  track  made  by  the 
natives,  we  found  the  fringe  of  forest  exquisite  both  in 
coloring  and  form.  In  coloring,  because  mingled  with 
every  tint  of  green  were  masses  of  scarlet,  yellow  and 
purple  blossoms  ;  in  form,  because  interlaced  with  the 
giant  mahogany  and  cotton  trees  were  the  waving, 
fern-like  fronds  of  the  oil  palm,  and  the  still  more 
beautiful  raphia,  as  well  as  colossal  silk-cotton  trees, 


164  Gbe  BBC  of  1f6tar, 

veritable  giants  of  the  forest.  Dum  and  deleb  palms, 
the  kigelia  with  its  enormous  branches,  the  shea,  or 
butter-tree,  mimosas,  euphorbias,  gummiferous  acacias, 
and  hundreds  of  varieties  of  thorny  and  scrubby  plants. 

Indeed,  as  day  after  day  we  slowly  ascended  the  river 
by  the  narrow  winding  track,  the  scene  on  the  opposite 
side  was  a  panorama  of  beautiful  color.  We  met  one 
or  two  traders  of  the  Franks  and  many  woolly-headed 
natives,  half-clad  and  wearing  strange  amulets  and 
curious  head-dresses  ;  we  passed  through  many  palm- 
shaded  villages,  but  were  unmolested,  for  being  two 
Arabs  travelling  alone  with  a  single  negro  slave  we 
were  regarded  as  traders  and  not  as  sl^ave-raiders,  or 
"  wicked  people,"  who  always  appeared  suddenly,  with 
an  armed  band  ready  to  burn,  massacre  and  plunder. 

Besides,  Mohammed  had  taken  a  wise  precaution 
before  setting  out  upon  the  journey.  While  Shukri 
Aga,  the  Governor  of  Sokoto,  had  taken  coffee  with 
him  on  the  memorable  night  prior  to  our  departure,  he 
had  obtained  from  him  a  letter  in  Arabic,  without  which 
credential  we  might  have  been  regarded  with  suspicion 
by  the  various  chiefs  through  whose  territory  we  trav- 
elled. It  read  : — 

"  Praise  be  unto  Allah,  Lord  of  all  creatures,  and  to  His 
Prophet, for  the  gift  of  the  pen  by  which  we  can  make  known 
our  salutations  and  our  wishes  to  our  friends  at  a  distance. 
This  letter  cometh  from  Shukri  Aga,  son  of  Abdul  Salami, 
who  was  called  Kiama,  Governor  of  Sokoto,  in  the  name  of  the 
Great  Sultan  'Othman,  whose  actions  are  directed  by  the  one 
Allah,  with  salutations  to  his  friend  Mohammed  el-Arewa, 
citizen  of  Sokoto.  Thou  art  our  friend  in  this  affair.  Thou 
art  not  among  the  warriers  ;  thou  art  a  traveller  in  many 
towns  of  different  people.  Look  now,  he  is  a  traveller  on  ac- 
count of  buying  and  selling  and  of  all  trades.  Thou  shouldst 
hear  this.  Friendship  and  respect  existeth  between  us.  If  he 
come  to  you,  dismiss  him  with  friendship  until  he  cometh  to 


•ffn  tbe  <OQfl&ernes0.  165 

the  end  of  his  journey.  Assuredly  he  is  high  in  favor  with 
the  Sultan  of  our  land.  Thou  shouldst  leave  this  Arab  alone. 
It  is  trade  he  requireth  of  thee  ;  he  is  not  of  the  wicked  people, 
but  peace." 

Armed  with  this  letter  of  introduction  we  ascended 
the  river,  receiving  the  greatest  civility  from  the  in- 
dustrious people,  who,  however,  were  living  in  daily 
dread  of  their  lives  from  the  incursions  of  the  wild 
Borgu  raiders. 

Until  we  arrived  at  the  town  of  Lokoja,  at  the  con- 
fluence of  the  Benue  river  with  the  Niger,  a  journey 
occupying  thirteen  days,  Mohammed  remained  with  us. 
Then  we  parted,  he  to  return  home  by  the  route  of  the 
ivory  caravans  which  ran  due  north,  through  Zozo  and 
Zamfara,  we  to  ascend  the  Benue  river  in  search  of  the 
Rock  of  the  Great  Sin.  When  on  the  morning  he  em- 
braced me,  sprang  into  his  saddle,  and  raising  his  hand 
wished  us  farewell,  I  felt  that  I  was  parting  from  an  old 
friend.  To  him  my  dwarfed  companion  and  myself 
owed  our  lives ;  to  him  we  owed  our  safe  conduct  be- 
yond the  clutches  of  the  Sultan's  horsemen  ;  to  him  we 
owed  the  letter  from  the  Governor  of  Sokoto  which  now 
reposed  in  the  pocket  of  my  gandoura  ;  to  him  we  owed 
the  directions  that  we  were  about  to  follow,  in  order  to 
reach  the  great,  unexplored  land. 

"  May  Allah,  peace  and  safety,  attend  thee.  May 
the  One  Merciful  guide  thy  footsteps,  be  generous  to 
thee,  and  give  thee  prosperity,"  he  cried,  as  he  turned 
to  leave.  "  And  may  the  sun  of  his  grace  shine  upon 
thee  and  illuminate  the  path  of  thy  return  to  the  true- 
hearted  woman  thou  lovest.  At  the  isha  each  night  will 
I  remember  thee.  Farewell,  and  peace.  Fi  amaniillah" 

"  And  upon  thee  may  the  Omniscient  One  ever  shower 
his  blessings.  May  the  Prophet  be  thy  protector,"  I 
cried  in  response. 


166  Sbe  Ege  of 


But  he  had  cried,  "  Yahh  !  Yahh  \  "  to  his  ass,  and  the 
beast,  thus  urged  forward,  was  jogging  rapidly  away  on 
the  first  stage  of  his  long  journey  northwards. 

My  pledge  to  Azala,  and  her  earnest  words  that  re- 
curred to  me,  alone  prompted  me  to  continue  my  jour- 
ney. A  wanderer  in  desert  and  forest,  with  the  soul  of 
the  true-born  Bedouin,  ever  restless,  ever  moving,  I 
had  seen  much  of  that  half-civilized  life  led  by  the  peo- 
ple beyond  the  influence  of  the  Roumis.  In  London, 
cooped  up  amid  the  so-called  civilization  of  the  English, 
their  streets  and  shops,  their  wonderful  buildings,  and 
their  women  with  uncovered  faces,  I  cared  nought  for 
study,  longing  always  for  the  free  life  of  the  plains  that 
knows  not  law.  Even  of  Algiers  I  had  tired,  and  chosen 
a  wandering  existence  of  my  own  free  will,  exiling  my- 
self even  from  my  Arab  clansmen,  and  becoming  a  sol- 
dier of  the  great  Mahdi,  who,  with  his  contemptuous 
disregard  for  human  life,  had  spread  the  terror  of  his 
name  in  letters  of  blood.  Yet  through  it  all  the  one 
mystery  of  my  life,  the  indelible  mark  upon  my  breast, 
had  remained  unsolved.  Nay,  its  mystic  significance 
had  increased,  for  having  looked  with  love  for  the  first 
time  upon  a  woman,  I  had  found  that  she  also  bore  the 
mystic  device. 

It  was  to  endeavor  to  penetrate  this  mystery,  to  dis- 
cover the  spot,  the  reflection  of  which  had  appeared 
often  in  Kano  as  a  mystic  cloud-picture,  that  I  had  set 
out,  and  I  became  filled  with  a  determination  to  strive 
towards  it  as  long  as  Allah  gave  me  breath.  Forward 
I  would  fight  my  way,  and  plunge  without  fear  into  the 
trackless,  unknown  regions  of  which  Mohammed  had 
spoken,  and  question  the  people  of  the  various  countries 
eastward,  to  ascertain  if  any  could  direct  me  to  where 
stood  the  gloomy  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin. 

Accompanied  by  the  ugly  dwarf,  whose  conversation 


In  tbe  TJdUOerness.  167 

was  always  quaint,  and  who  entertained  me  with  tales 
of  the  prowess  of  his  people,  as  numerous  and  varied 
as  those  stored  within  the  brain  of  a  Dervish  story- 
teller, we  travelled  onward  day  by  day,  week  by  week, 
up  the  swiftly-flowing  Benue,  where  manioc,  pumpkins, 
yams,  kola-nuts,  colocasia,  rijel,  sugar-canes,  and  the 
helmia,  whose  tuberous  root  resembles  the  potato  in 
taste  and  appearance,  grew  in  great  abundance  through 
the  fertile  Foulde  country,  beneath  the  high  granite 
crags  of  Mount  Yarita,  and  at  last,  leaving  the  river,  a 
mere  stream  so  small  that  one  could  stand  with  a  foot 
on  either  bank,  we  made  a  long  and  toilsome  ascent,  at 
length  finding  ourselves  upon  a  great,  sandy  plateau  de- 
void of  herbage.  Guiding  our  course  by  the  sun,  we 
struck  one  day  at  dawn  due  eastward,  over  great  dunes 
of  treacherous  shifting  sand,  into  which  the  feet  of  our 
asses  sank  at  every  step,  rendering  progress  very  slow 
and  extremely  difficult. 

For  a  long  time  we  were  both  silent ;  it  was  as  much 
as  we  could  do  to  advance  with  our  animals  halting 
and  turning  obstinately  at  every  step.  Suddenly  I 
was  startled  by  Tiamo  crying  aloud  in  dismay,  "  Balek  ! 
El  gueubeli  !  "  (Take  care  !  the  sandstorm). 

Then,  for  the  first  time,  I  realized  that  a  strange 
darkness  had  fallen,  that  the  morning  sun  had  become 
utterly  obscured  by  a  dense,  black  cloud,  and  gigan- 
tic sand  columns  were  whirling  over  the  plain  at  furi- 
ous speed.  Next  moment,  a  howling,  tearing  wind 
swept  upon  us  with  the  force  of  a  tornado.  As  I 
twisted  my  ragged  haick  quickly  about  my  face,  to 
shield  my  eyes  and  mouth,  my  ass,  apprehensive  of  our 
danger,  veered  round  with  his  hindquarters  to  the 
tempest.  I  leaned  towards  the  ass's  neck,  and  felt  him 
tremble  beneath  me. 

Then,  in  an  instant,  I  received  a  terrific  shock  ;  it 


168  Cbe  Ege  of  Ustar. 


seemed  to  me  that  a  camel's  pack  of  sand  had  fallen 
all  at  once  upon  my  head. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

ZU,  THE  BIRD-GOD. 

So  heavily  had  I  been  struck  that  it  was  with  diffi- 
culty I  regained  my  breath  and  kept  my  seat.  For 
some  minutes  the  sand  whirled  about  me  so  thickly 
that  Tiamo,  only  a  leopard's  leap  away,  became  ob- 
scured in  the  sudden  darkness.  With  mouth  and  eyes 
filled  with  fine  sand  I  experienced  a  horrible  sensation 
of  being  stifled,  and  clutched  frantically  at  my  throat 
for  air,  but  in  a  few  moments  the  storm  grew  less  vio- 
lent, and  when  I  looked  for  the  dwarf  he  had  disap- 
peared. 

At  first  it  seemed  as  though  the  strong  wind  had 
carried  him  completely  away,  but  in  a  few  seconds  I 
discovered  him  half  buried,  and  struggling  in  the  great 
ridge  of  sand  that  had  been  formed  behind  us. 
Quickly  I  hastened  to  his  assistance  and  extricated 
him,  when  with  his  habitual  hideous  grin,  as  if  amused 
by  his  own  words,  he  told  me  how,  being  of  small 
weight,  the  great  wind  had  lifted  him  from  the  back  of 
his  ass,  and  rolling  him  over,  buried  him  in  the  loose 
sand. 

His  was  indeed  a  narrow  escape,  but  apparently  he 
was  little  worse  for  his  exciting  experience  than  myself, 
and  even  as  we  spoke  the  wind  abated,  the  sky  cleared, 
the  sandstorm  swept  northward  on  its  course  to  Lake 
Tsad,  and  the  glaring  sun  shone  again  in  the  dead 
milk-white  sky.  For  half-an-hour  we  halted  to  rest, 


2£u,  tbe  S3ird*(3o&.  169 

then  recommenced  with  fresh  vigor  the  painful, 
tedious  march  over  the  dreary  waste  where  Nature 
made  a  pause. 

Four  long  and  wearying  days  we  occupied  in  travers- 
ing that  lonely  plain,  at  length  descending  into  a  fertile 
valley,  through  which  a  large  river  ran  towards  the 
south-east.  This,  we  learned  from  a  group  of  dark- 
skinned  natives,  who  at  first  threatened  us  but  after- 
wards became  friendly,  was  known  to  them  as  the 
Ba-bai.  The  men,  savages  of  coppery  hue,  were  appar- 
ently hunters  of  the  Bangbai,  a  powerful  tribe  who 
were  constantly  carrying  carnage  and  victory  far  and 
wide  southward,  in  the  direction  of  the  mighty  Congo, 
and  who  were  held  in  awe  by  all  the  neighboring 
tribes.  Of  these  Tiamo,  who  found  he  could  converse 
with  them  in  his  native  dialect,  inquired  whether  they 
had  any  knowledge  of  the  rock  we  sought,  but  with 
one  accord  they  shook  their  heads,  and  replied,  raising 
their  bows  and  spears  towards  the  sky.  Their  answer, 
as  rendered  into  Arabic  by  the  dwarf,  was, — 

"  Of  the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin  our  fetish-men  have 
told  for  long  ages.  It  is  said  to  be  far  away  in  the  sky. 
It  cannot  be  on  the  earth,  our  spear-men  have  travelled 
all  over  the  earth,  and  none  has  seen  it." 

So,  ever  failing  to  find  a  clue,  we  continued  our  way 
through  the  lands  of  the  Gaberi  and  the  Sara,  along 
the  bank  of  the  Ba-bai,  which  sometimes  wound  through 
wide,  rocky  wildernesses,  at  others  through  valleys 
where  palms  and  bananas  grew  in  wondrous  profusion, 
and  often  through  forests  and  mangrove  swamps  that 
occupied  us  many  days  in  traversing,  where  there  was 
an  equatorial  verdure  of  eternal  blossom  and  the  foli- 
age was  of  brightest  green. 

All  along  the  bank  of  the  Ba-bai,  as  we  ascended 
still  further,  pressing  deeper  into  the  country  of  the 


1 70  Cbe  T&ye  of  Istar, 

pagans,  there  were  forests  of  uniform  breadth,  over- 
shadowing warm,  inert  waters — forests  full  of  poison- 
ous odors  and  venomous  reptiles.  This  country,  as  all 
of  the  great  land  of  Central  Africa,  rested  under  a 
spell  of  sombre  gloom  and  appalling  silence  ;  yet  it  was 
a  great  relief  for  the  eye,  fevered  and  -weary  after  the 
glaring  monotony  of  desert  sands. 

For  a  whole  moon  we  continued  our  journey  due 
south  along  the  winding  river,  until  one  night  we  came 
to  a  point  where  the  waters  broke  off  in  two  directions 
to  the  north  and  to  the  south.  Northward,  I  supposed 
it  would  take  us  away  into  the  desert  again,  therefore 
I  chose  the  smaller  river  running  up  from  the  south, 
and  for  many  days  we  travelled  onward,  learning  from 
the  natives  of  a  strange  little  village,  who  seemed  gen- 
erally well-disposed  towards  us,  that  the  river  was 
known  to  them  as  the  Bahar-el-Ardh,  and  that  it  had 
its  source  in  the  dense  forest  where  lived  the  fierce 
people  called  the  Niam-niam,  whose  flights  of  poisoned 
arrows  had  killed  many  of  their  bravest  warriors. 

Up  this  river  we  journeyed  many  days,  until  at 
length,  near  its  source,  we  came  to  a  village  of  conical 
huts,  the  denizens  of  which  viewed  us  with  suspicion, 
and  threatened  us  with  their  long,  razor-edged  spears. 

When,  however,  I  had  assured  the  chief,  who  sat  be- 
fore his  little  hut,  that  I  was  not  one  of  the  Wara  Sura, 
the  soldiers  of  the  dreaded  slave-raider,  Kabba  Rega, 
who  periodically  visited  their  country,  devastated  their 
land  and  carried  off  their  cattle,  and  we  both  became 
convinced  that  friendship  was  possible,  the  mystery  of 
our  presence  was  explained  by  Tiamo,  that  we  were 
only  travelling  to  discover  a  great  rock  which  was  re- 
ported to  be  in  their  country.  Had  he  ever  heard  of 
such  a  rock  ? 

He  answered   eagerly :    "  Meanest  thou  the    Great 


Zu,  tbe  ;JBirD*fl5o&.  17 ' 

Rock  where  dwelleth  the  bird-god  Zu,  '  the  wise 
one' ? " 

"  I  know  not  thy  gods,  for  I  am  a  son  of  Al-Islam, 
and  follower  of  the  Prophet,"  I  replied,  through  the 
dwarf.  "  Tell  me  of  thy  bird-god." 

"  Zu  dwelleth  upon  the  summit  of  a  high  rock,"  he 
answered.  "  It  was  he  who  stole  the  tablets  of  destiny 
and  the  secrets  of  the  sun  '  god  of  light,'  and  brought 
them  down  to  earth,  but  he  himself  was  banished  to 
the  summit  of  the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin,  where  he 
dwelleth  alone,  and  may  not  descend  among  us." 

"  And  the  rock.     Hast  thou  never  seen  it  ?  " 

"  I  have  heard  of  it,  but  mine  eyes  have  never  gazed 
upon  it.  Our  sacred  spots  are  always  hidden  from  us." 

"  From  whom  hast  thou  heard  mention  of  it  ?  "  I  in- 
quired of  this  chieftain  of  the  Niam-niam. 

"Some  men  of  the  Avisibba,  who  were  taken  prison- 
ers by  me  in  a  fight  long  ago,  made  mention  that  one 
of  their  headmen  had  seen  it.  They  knew  not  its  di- 
rection, but  thought  it  was  beyond  the  Forest  of  Per- 
petual Night." 

"  And  the  Avisibba.  Who  are  they  ?  Where  is  their 
country  ? "  I  demanded,  eagerly. 

"  Continue  up  this  river  for  twelve  days,  until  thou 
comest  to  a  point  where  three  streams  diverge.  Take 
the  centre  one,  which  in  nine  days  will  lead  thee  through 
the  country  of  Abarmo  to  Bangoya,  thence,  travelling 
due  south  for  fourteen  days,  thou  wilt  reach  the  great 
river  the  Aruwimi,  upon  the  banks  of  which  dwell  the 
man-eaters  of  the  Avisibba." 

"  Man-eaters  !  "  I  gasped.  "  Do  they  eat  human 
flesh?" 

The  chief  smiled  as  Tiamo  put  my  question  to  him. 

"Yea,"  he  answered.  "They  eat  their  captives, 
therefore  have  a  care  of  thine  own  skin.  Mention  no 


172  Gbe  J6se  of  Ustar. 

word  that  thou  hast  seen  me,  or,  being  our  enemies, 
thou  wilt  assuredly  die." 

I  thanked  him  for  his  directions,  and  prepared  to 
resume  my  weary  quest,  but  he  bade  me  be  seated,  and 
his  wives  prepared  a  feast  for  myself  and  my  dark 
companion.  Heartily  enough  we  ate,  for  the  food  we 
had  brought  with  us  had  given  out  long'ago.  One's 
living  in  that  region,  unexplored  only  by  ivory  and 
slave-raiders,  was,  to  say  the  least,  precarious  ;  partak- 
ing of  a  savage's  hospitality  one  day,  and  the  next 
thanking  Allah  for  a  single  wood-bean.  But  through 
our  many  hardships  Tiamo  never  grumbled.  He  fin- 
gered his  amulets,  and  presumably  prayed  to  his  gods, 
but  no  word  of  dissatisfaction  ever  fell  from  his  lips. 
Though  gloomy  and  taciturn,  he  proved  an  excellent 
travelling  companion,  and  his  devotion  towards  his 
mistress  Azala  was  unequalled.  When  his  mind  was 
made  up,  he  was  a  man  of  great  nerve,  fertile  resource, 
and  illimitable  daring.  At  the  invitation  of  the  chief 
of  the  Niam-niam,  we  smoked  and  remained  that  night 
within  his  village,  circular  and  stockaded  to  keep  out 
the  wild  animals,  then  at  dawn  gave  him  a  piece  of 
cloth  and  bade  him  farewell. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE   FOREST    OF   PERPETUAL   NIGHT. 

ONWARD,  along  the  track  by  the  river  bank,  penetra- 
ting deeper  and  deeper  into  the  great,  limitless,  virgin 
forest  of  the  Congo — that  region  absolutely  unknown 
to  civilized  man — we  proceeded  by  paths  very  infre- 
quently employed,  under  dark  depths  of  bush,  where 


fforest  of  perpetual  VUgbt.  173 

our  progress  was  interrupted  every  few  minutes  by 
the  tangle.  For  food,  we  had  tubers  of  manioc  ;  for 
drink,  the  water  of  the  river. 

Approaching  the  native  town  of  Bangoya,  I  climbed 
into  a  tree  to  view  it  ;  but  not  liking  the  savage  look 
of  the  people,  we  avoided  the  place,  and,  acting  on  the 
advice  we  had  received,  left  the  river  bank  and  turned 
towards  the  great  Forest  of  Perpetual  Night,  striking 
due  south  in  search  of  the  Aruwimi  river,  and  the 
cannibals  of  the  Avisibba,  who  knew  the  whereabouts 
of  the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin. 

As  we  left  the  river  we  commenced  to  tramp  over 
primeval  swamps,  almost  impenetrable,  and  low-lying 
land  that  had  been  submerged  by  the  winter  flood. 
We  were  alone,  in  a  trackless,  unexplored  land,  far 
from  cities  and  the  ways  of  men.  The  moon  glanced 
in  through  the  leaf  gaps,  like  a  face  grown  white  with 
fear  ;  the  bright-plumaged  birds  fluttered  and  chat- 
tered, disturbed,  and  a  wind  stole  through  the  tree 
tops,  with  a  sound  like  the  roar  of  ocean's  wrath 
heard  in  the  calm  of  ocean's  depths.  Nor  foot  of  man, 
nor  foot  of  beast  had  trodden  large  areas  of  those 
pathless  thickets — save,  perhaps,  some  homeless  ele- 
phant— since  the  days  of  an  elder  creation,  and  one's 
imagination  could  fancy  the  giant  lizards  and  extinct 
amphibians  without  incongruity  in  such  desolate  wilds. 
In  parts  all  Nature  was  still,  in  that  wide,  pestilential 
swamp  that  gave  entrance  to  the  virgin  forest ;  neither 
bird  nor  monkey  disturbed  the  silence,  unless  it  be  a 
crocodile  moving  slowly  in  the  ooze,  a  long-legged 
wader,  or  a  solemn  crane.  Soon,  however,  the  ground 
became  drier,  the  trees  more  thick,  and  at  last  we 
plunged  into  the  wonderful  forest  of  which  I  had  long 
ago  heard  so  much  from  negro  slaves,  even  away  in 
far-off  Omdurman — the  huge,  towering  forest  and 


174  Gbe  EEC  of  flstar. 


jungly  undergrowth  that  covers  an  area  of  over  three 
hundred  thousand  square  miles  of  the  centre  of  the 
African  continent.  Here,  one  can  travel  for  six  whole 
moons,  through  forest,  bush  and  jungle,  without  seeing 
a  piece  of  grassland  the  size  of  a  praying-mat.  Noth- 
ing but  leagues  and  leagues  —  endless  leagues  of  gigan- 
tic, gloomy  forest,  in  various  stages  of  growth,  and 
various  degrees  of  altitude,  according  to  the  ages  of 
the  trees,  with  varying  thickness  of  undergrowth, 
according  to  the  character  of  the  foliage,  which  af- 
forded thicker  or  slighter  shade. 

Throughout  many  days  we  strode  on  fast  through 
the  mighty  trees,  and  forced  our  way  onward,  travelling 
always  southward  as  near  as  we  could  guess,  through 
this  primeval  forest,  a  journey  fraught  with  more 
terrors  than  any  we  had  previously  experienced.  The 
great  trunks,  gloomy,  gaunt  and  sombre,  grew  so 
thickly  as  to  shut  out  the  blessed  light  of  the  sun, 
therefore,  even  at  high  noon,  there  was  only  twilight, 
and,  for  many  hours  each  day,  we  were  in  darkness  — 
impenetrable  and  appalling.  Had  it  not  been  that  I 
was  convinced  we  should  ere  long  reach  the  Aruwimi, 
I  should  have  turned  back,  but,  once  having  plunged 
into  that  trackless  forest,  there  was  no  returning. 

The  attacks  upon  us  by  insects  drove  us  almost  to 
the  verge  of  madness.  By  day  tiny  beetles  bored 
underneath  the  skin  and  pricked  one  like  needles  ;  the 
mellipona  bee  troubled  one's  eyes  ;  ticks,  small  and 
large,  sucked  one's  blood  ;  wasps  in  swarms  came  out 
to  the  attack  as  we  passed  their  haunts  ;  the  tiger-slug 
dropped  from  the  branches  and  left  his  poisonous  hairs 
in  the  pores  of  the  skin  ;  and  black  ants  fell  from  the 
trumpet-trees  as  we  passed  underneath,  and  gave  us  a 
foretaste  of  Al-Hawiyat.  At  night  there  were  frequent 
storms  ;  trees  were  struck  by  the  lightning,  and  the 


fforest  of  perpetual  IRfgbt.  175 

sound  of  the  tempest-torn  foliage  was  like  the  roar  of  the 
breakers  on  a  rocky  shore.  Snakes,  chimpanzees  and 
elephants  were  among  our  companions,  while  the  crick 
of  the  cricket,  the  shrill,  monotonous  piping  of  the 
cicada,  the  perpetual  chorus  of  frogs,  the  doleful  cry 
of  the  lemur  were  among  the  sounds  that  rendered 
night  in  that  lone  land  hideous  and  repulsive. 

Suffering  severely  from  hunger,  without  light  or  sun- 
shine, and  compelled  to  be  ever  on  the  alert  lest  we 
should  be  attacked,  it  was  a  journey  full  of  terrors. 
The  tribes  of  the  forest  were,  I  knew,  the  most  vicious 
on  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  every  noise  of  breaking 
twigs,  or  of  the  falling  of  decayed  branches,  caused  us 
to  halt  with  our  rifles  in  readiness.  The  legs  of  our 
asses  had  been  rendered  bare  by  the  myriads  of  insects, 
and  the  centipedes,  mammoth  beetles  and  mosquitoes 
caused  us  considerable  pain,  yet  that  unexplored  forest 
was  full  of  fascinating  wonders.  Many  of  the  trees, 
weird  and  grotesque,  were  centuries  old,  and  some 
giants — the  teak,  the  camwood,  the  mahogany,  the 
green-heart,  the  stinkwood,  the  ebony,  the  copal-wood 
with  its  glossy  foliage,  the  aborescent  mango,  the  wild 
orange  with  delicate  foliage,  stately  acacias,  and  silver- 
boled  wild  fig  towered  to  enormous  heights,  and  over 
them,  from  tree  to  tree,  ran  millions  of  beautiful  vines, 
streaming  with  countless  tendrils,  with  the  bright  green 
of  orchid  leaves.  Great  lengths  of  whip-like  calamus 
lianes  twisted  like  dark  serpents,  masses  of  enormous 
flowering  convolvuli  and  red  knots  of  amoma  and  crim- 
son dots  of  phrynia  berries  were  confusedly  intertwined 
and  matted  until  all  light  from  heaven  was  obscured, 
except  a  stray  beam  here  and  there  which  told  that  the 
sun  was  shining  and  it  was  day  above.  The  midnight 
silence  of  the  forest  dropped  about  us  like  a  pall. 

As  we  struggled  onward,  existing  as  best  we  could 


176  Cbe  Bige  of  f  star. 


upon  roots  and  fruit,  and  with  our  clothes  torn  to  shreds 
by  the  brambles,  thoughts  of  Azala  constantly  occurred 
to  me.  Of  time  I  had  kept  no  count,  but  already  four 
moons  must  have  passed  since  I  had  left  Kano.  Per- 
haps the  conspiracy  between  the  Khalifa  and  Khazneh, 
Aga  of  the  Women,  had  been  carried  out,  but  hav- 
ing sent  warning  of  it  by  Ayehsa  to  Azala,  I  felt 
assured  that  the  woman  I  loved  would  place  his 
Majesty  on  his  guard,  and  the  base  machinations  of  the 
pair  of  scoundrels  would  be  frustrated,  and  the  Empire 
saved  from  those  who  were  seeking  its  overthrow. 

Azala  trusted  in  me  to  elucidate  the  mystery.  Her 
deep,  earnest  request  uttered  before  we  parted,  rang 
ever  in  my  ears  in  that  trackless,  lonely  region,  her 
words  stimulated  me  to  strive  onward  to  ascertain  from 
the  fierce  savages  of  the  Avisibba  the  whereabouts  of 
the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin. 

"  What  time  has  elapsed  since  we  set  forth  ?  "  I 
asked  of  Tiamo,  one  day  as  we  plodded  doggedly  for- 
ward. 

"  Nearly  four  moons,  O  master,"  he  answered, 
promptly.  "  See  !  I  have  notched  the  days  upon  my 
gun's  stock,"  and  he  held  out  his  gun,  showing  how  he 
had  preserved  a  record  of  time.  I  told  him  to  continue 
to  keep  count  of  each  day,  then  asked  him  if  anxiety  or 
fear  possessed  him. 

"  I  am  the  slave  of  the  beauteous  Lalla,  sent  on  a 
quest  to  bring  her  peace.  Thou  art  her  devoted  friend. 
While  thou  leadest  me  I  fear  not  to  follow,"  and  mum- 
bling, he  fingered  his  amulets. 

"  Be  it  as  Allah  willeth,"  I  said.  "  Peradventure  he 
will  reward  us,  and  gladden  our  eyes  with  a  sight  of 
the  mystic  rock.  If  it  is  anywhere  on  earth  it  is  in 
these  regions,  unknown  to  all  but  the  ivory-raiders  who 
come  up  from  the  Congo  and  return  thither." 


B  ipagan  %an&.  177 

•'  Let  us  search,  O  master,"  the  dwarf,  said  encourag- 
ingly. "  Though  our  stomachs  are  empty  and  our  feet 
sore  from  long  tramping,  yet  if  we  continue  we  shall 
find  the  river." 

"  Bravely  spoken,  Tiamo,"  I  answered.  "  Thou  art 
well  named  El-Sadie.  Yea,  we  will  continue  our  search, 
for  with  a  light  heart  and  perseverance  much  can  be 
accomplished.  Though  of  small  stature,  thou  hast 
indeed  a  stout  heart." 

He  grinned  with  satisfaction,  and  we  trudged  on- 
ward in  silence  through  the  falling  gloom,  resolved  to 
bear  our  weariness  bravely  for  the  sake  of  the  beauti- 
ful woman  who,  imprisoned  in  the  great,  far-off  palace, 
was  watching  and  waiting  anxiously  for  our  return  to 
release  her  by  solving  the  secret. 

The  strange  device  that  seemed  to  link  our  lives 
puzzled  me  even  in  that  dark  forest,  and  many  hours  I 
remained  silent,  wondering  whether  I  should  ever  as- 
certain how  we  both  came  to  bear  marks  exactly  simi- 
lar in  every  detail. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

A   PAGAN    LAND. 

IN  that  dull,  dispiriting  gloom  I  knew  not  the  time 
of  the  maghrib  or  the  ts/ia,  nor  the  direction  of  the 
Ka'abah  of  the  Holy  City,  nevertheless  I  spread  my 
mat  and  prayed  fervently  to  Allah,  the  Compassionate, 
the  Merciful,  to  allow  the  light  of  his  blessing  to  shine 
upon  me  and  guide  my  footsteps  to  where  I  might 
obtain  the  clue  I  sought.  Tiamo  stood  regarding  me 
with  a  look  which  plainly  told  that  he  considered  my 


'78  Gbe  Bge  of  Istar. 


prayers  as  mere  empty  forms  and  ceremonies.  One  of 
his  peculiarities  was  that  he  believed  not  in  Allah  nor 
in  his  apostle  Mohammed,  and  holding  the  pious  in 
contempt,  he  placed  faith  in  spirits,  magic  and  sacrifices 
to  the  pagan  deities. 

Having  toiled  on  in  the  forest  for  twenty  days  and 
discovering  no  sign  of  the  Aruwimi,  we  began  seriously 
to  doubt  whether  we  were  not  penetrating  those  sunless 
glades  in  the  wrong  direction,  and  travelling  parallel 
with  the  river  instead  of  towards  its  bank.  Without 
sun  or  star  to  guide  us,  we  were  wandering  beneath  the 
giant  trees,  the  foliage  and  creepers  of  which  had  be- 
come so  dense  that  now  and  then  further  progress  in 
that  depressing  darkness  seemed  impossible.  Yet  ever 
and  anon  we  found  tracks  of  elephants  and  hippopot- 
ami, which  we  took,  our  eyes  ever  strained  before  us  to 
behold  some  welcome  gleam  of  light  which  would  show 
us  where  ran  the  river. 

All  was  dark,  gloomy,  rayless.  Though  neither  of 
us  admitted  it,  we  both  were  aware  that  we  were  lost 
amid  that  primeval  mass  of  tropical  vegetation,  into 
the  depths  of  which  even  the  savages  themselves  dare 
not  venture.  We  had  one  day  crossed  a  number  of 
small  swamps,  and  thick,  scum-faced  quagmires,  green 
with  rank  weeds,  emitting  a  stench  most  sickening,  and 
on  emerging  from  the  foetid  slough  into  which  our  feet 
sank  at  every  step,  a  dozen  black  heads  suddenly  ap- 
peared above  the  undergrowth. 

Next  second,  ere  we  could  recover  from  our  surprise, 
the  weird  echoes  of  the  forest  were  awakened  by  fiend- 
ish yells,  as  twenty  black  warriors,  veritable  companions 
of  the  left  hand,  wearing  strange  head-dresses  with 
black  tufts  of  feathers,  and  unclothed  save  for  a  piece 
of  bark-cloth  around  their  loins,  and  a  thick  pad  of 
goat-skin  on  the  left  arm  to  protect  it  from  the  bow- 


B  pagan  ILanO.  179 

k  "• 

string,  bounded  towards  us,  running  long  and  low,  with 
heads  stretched  forward  and  spears  trailing,  shouting, 
brandishing  their  long,  broadheaded  weapons,  and 
drawing  their  bows  ready  to  send  their  poisoned 
arrows  through  our  bodies. 

They  had  evidently  lain  in  ambush,  believing  us  to 
be  scouts  of  Kabba  Rega,  or  of  Ugarrowwa,  Abed  bin 
Salem,  or  some  other  ivory-raider  from  the  Congo,  and 
so  suddenly  did  they  appear,  screaming,  threatening 
and  gesticulating,  that  I  deemed  it  best  to  throw  down 
my  rifle  and  raised  my  hands  to  show  I  had  no  hostile 
intent.  Seized  quickly  by  these  tall,  slim,  thick-lipped, 
monkey-eyed  men,  who  bore  quivers  full  of  arrows 
smeared  freshly  with  a  dark,  copal-colored  substance, 
we  were  dragged  onward  in  triumph  for  nearly  two 
hours,  preceded  by  a  band  of  leaping,  exultant  warriors 
who,  from  the  interest  they  took  in  our  asses  and  the 
close  manner  in  which  they  all  scrutinized  them,  I 
judged  had  never  seen  such  animals  before. 

One  of  our  captors,  snatching  my  rifle  from  my 
grasp,  held  it  aloft  in  glee,  crying, — 

"Tippu-tib!  Tippu-tib  !  "  whereat  his  companions 
laughed  and  yelled  triumphantly. 

This  incident  brought  to  my  memory  that  the  re- 
nown of  the  relentless  slave-raider  Tippu-Tib  had 
reached  Omdurman,  and  that  this  name  had  been  be- 
stowed upon  him  by  the  natives  because  the  noise 
made  by  the  rifles  of  his  dreaded  band  sounded  like 
"tippu-tib."  This  savage's  joy  when,  a  few  moments 
later,  on  touching  the  trigger  the  rifle  discharged,  was 
unbounded.  The  others  crowded  around  him,  chatter- 
ing and  gesticulating  like  apes,  then  finding  they  could 
not  cause  another  explosion  they  handed  it  to  me,  com- 
pelling me  to  reload  it.  Again  it  was  fired,  one  of  the 
dusky  denizens  of  the  forest  narrowly  escaping,  for  the 


of  Ustar. 

bullet  struck  his  head-dress  and  carried  it  away,  much 
to  the  amusement  of  his  companions. 

While  this  was  proceeding  our  position  was  exceed- 
ingly critical.  As  prisoners  in  the  hands  of  these 
vicious  warriors  our  lives  were  in  greatest  danger,  and 
whither  they  were  hurrying  us  we  knew  not. 

As  in  sorry  plight  we  were  dragged  forward,  Tiamo 
addressed  a  question  to  one  of  the  sinewy  savages  who 
held  him.  At  first  it  was  apparent  that  their  tongue 
was  different  to  any  he  knew,  but  after  some  questions 
and  replies,  the  dwarf,  in  a  wail  of  dismay,  cried  to  me 
in  Arabic, — 

"  We  are  lost,  O  master  !     We  are  lost !  " 

"Keep  a  stout  heart,"  I  answered.  "We  may  yet 
escape." 

"  Alas  !  never,"  he  answered,  in  despair.  "  We  have 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  ghoulish  Avisibba  ! " 

"  It  is  these  men  of  whom  we  have  been  in  search," 
I  observed. 

"Yea,  O  master  !  But  have  we  not  been  told  that 
they  kill  and  eat  their  captives  ?  Have  we  not  been 
warned  that  they  are  among  the  fiercest  cannibals  of 
the  Forest  of  the  Congo  ?" 

The  truth  of  his  assertion  I  could  not  deny.  I 
glanced  at  the  two  half-nude  warriors  who  held  me, 
and  saw  their  white  teeth  had  been  filed  to  points. 
The  distinguishing  mark  upon  their  bodies  appeared  to 
be  double  rows  of  tiny  cicatrices  across  the  chest  and 
abdomen  ;  they  wore  wristlets  of  polished  metal, 
several  small  rings  in  their  ears,  and  around  their  necks 
I  distinguished  in  the  twilight  objects  which  caused 
me  to  shudder  in  horror.  Each  wore  around  his  neck 
a  string  of  human  teeth  ! 

Roughly  they  dragged  us  onward,  until  presently  we 
struck  a  native  path  tramped  by  travel  to  exceeding 


B  ipagan  XanD.  181 

smoothness  and  hardness,  but  so  narrow  that  we  were 
compelled  to  walk  in  single  file  through  the  dense 
jungle.  The  path  diverged  suddenly  at  a  point  where 
a  tree  trunk  had  fallen  across  it,  and  this  point  was 
avoided  by  my  captors,  who,  instead  of  stepping  over 
the  obstruction,  plunged  into  the  jungle  and  rejoined 
the  path  further  on.  The  reason  of  this  I  was  not  slow 
in  ascertaining.  I  found  that  in  that  fallen  tree  was 
one  of  the  defences  of  the  village  we  were  approach- 
ing. Just  beyond  the  trunk,  where  the  stranger  would 
place  his  foot  in  stepping  over  it,  these  crafty  forest 
satyrs  had  placed  a  number  of  sharp  skewers  smeared 
with  arrow-poison,  concealed  by  dead  leaves  that  had 
apparently  floated  down  from  the  trees.  Therefore,  an 
enemy  approaching  would  receive  a  puncture,  which  in 
a  few  minutes  would  result  in  death. 

Suddenly,  through  the  gnarled  boles  of  the  trees  be- 
fore us,  we  saw  a  gleam  of  blue  sky,  and  shortly  after- 
wards found  ourselves  at  a  small  clearing  on  the  bank 
of  a  broad  river,  which  our  captors  told  us  was  the 
Nouellie,  or,  as  some  termed  it,  the  Aruwimi.  At  the 
bank  two  war-canoes  were  moored  near  a  small  village, 
and  our  asses  having  been  carefully  tethered  we  were 
placed  in  one  of  the  boats,  and,  escorted  by  the  re- 
mainder of  the  yelling,  exultant  cannibals,  rowed  up 
the  winding  river  a  considerable  distance,  keeping 
along  the  opposite  bank. 

It  was  evident  we  were  to  be  taken  to  the  principal 
village,  being  regarded  as  valuable  prizes. 

Accustomed  as  my  companion  and  myself  had  grown 
to  the  perpetual  twilight,  the  sudden  sunlight  and  bril- 
liance of  day  dazzled  us.  The  waters  seemed  stagnant 
and  motionless  ;  the  sun  was  at  its  zenith,  and  the 
heat  so  terrible  that  even  the  black  rowers,  in  spite  of 
their  exultation  at  having  captured  two  strangers, 


182  Cbe  EEC  of  ffetar, 


ceased  rowing  for  a  few  moments,  keeping  in  the  deep 
shadows  of  the  mangroves  and  allowing  the  canoe  to 
drift.  Again  they  rowed,  and  the  boat,  dividing  the 
waters,  continued  its  sinuous  course  up  the  river,  thread- 
ing its  way  quickly  between  the  sombre  forests.  Upon 
the  banks  we  could  see  great  blue  alligators,  stretched 
lazily  in  the  mud,  their  slimy  mouths  agape,  as  on  their 
backs  perched  tiny,  white  birds,  resting  to  plume  them- 
selves. On  the  entwining,  interlacing  roots  of  the 
mangroves,  brilliant  martin-fishers  and  curious  lizards 
took  their  afternoon  siesta,  while  butterflies,  with 
gorgeous  wings,  flitted  here  and  there,  sparkling  like 
jewels  in  the  sunshine. 

The  scene  was  brilliant  and  beautiful  after  the  dark- 
ness of  the  Great  Forest,  but  we  had  no  time  to  admire 
the  river's  charms,  for  in  a  few  moments  our  canoe  was 
turned  suddenly  into  a  creek,  our  captors  sprang 
ashore,  dragging  us  out,  and  while  several  men  ran  on 
in  front  to  announce  in  the  village  the  arrival  of  pris- 
oners, the  others  pushed  us  forward  with  scant  polite- 
ness. 

As  soon  as  we  came  within  sight  of  the  village  —  a 
large  collection  of  low  huts  surrounded  by  a  tall  pali- 
sade, which  we  learned  was  called  Avisibba  —  hundreds 
of  yelling  savages  of  both  sexes  came  forth  to  meet  us, 
and  as  we  were  triumphantly  dragged  along  the  wide 
space  between  the  two  rows  of  huts,  the  crowd  pressed 
around  us,  heaping  curses  upon  us,  and  causing  a  con- 
tinual and  ear-splitting  din.  Between  the  village  and 
the  Aruwimi  was  a  belt  of  forest  about  two  gunshots 
wide.  Each  house  was  surrounded  by  strong,  tall  pal- 
isades of  split  logs,  higher  than  a  man,  which  rendered 
the  place  defensible  even  against  rifles,  and  as  we  were 
marched  into  the  centre  of  the  place  with  our  captors 
holding  up  our  rifles,  exhibiting  them  to  the  people,  I 
noticed  their  threatening  expressions. 


avisibba.  183 

The  populace  were  urging  their  warriors  to  kill  us, 
and  I  feared  the  worst.  Pondering  on  the  difficulties 
of  the  situation,  I  could  discern  no  ray  of  hope  for  the 
success  of  my  mission. 

When,  however,  our  belongings  had  been  thoroughly 
examined  by  the  people  in  the  centre  of  the  village,  the 
excitement  slowly  abated,  and  after  every  man,  woman 
and  child  had  come  to  gaze  upon  us  with  open-mouthed 
curiosity,  we  were  lashed  securely  to  two  trees  opposite 
one  another^  and  left  to  our  own  sad  thoughts  while 
bur  savage  captors  leaped,  beat  their  tam-tams  and 
held  great  rejoicings  within  our  sight,  pointing  in  our 
direction  and  capering  gleefully  before  us. 

In  the  centre  of  the  village  we  could  see  men  and 
women  busily  constructing  some  kind  of  platform  of 
roughly-hewn  logs.  Transfixed  with  horror,  our  breath 
came  and  went  quickly.  We  knew  that  these  people 
were  fierce  cannibals  of  bad  repute,  and,  bound  and 
helpless,  dreaded  the  worst. 

They  were  erecting  a  kind  of  rude  altar  whereon  our 
life-blood  was  to  be  shed,  and  our  hearts  torn  out  and 
held  up  to  the  execration  of  the  dusky,  screaming  mob. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

AVISIBBA. 

SLOWLY  the  shadows  lengthened  as  the  fierce,  chat- 
tering horde  ran  hither  and  thither,  scattering  the  goats 
and  fowls  in  their  haste  to  prepare  the  platform.  Upon 
a  large  and  malodorous  refuse-heap,  close  to  the  spot 
where  we  were  secured,  many  human  skulls  and  bones 
had  been  flung,  showing  only  too  plainly  that  the  Avis- 


184  Gbe  EEC  ot 

ibba  were  eaters  of  human  flesh.  The  sun-blanched 
skulls,  of  which  there  were  scores,  thrilled  us  with  hor- 
ror, for  their  presence  spoke  mutely  of  the  horrible 
fate  awaiting  us.  Presently,  something  white  attracted 
my  attention  at  a  little  distance  beyond  the  pile  of  vil- 
lage refuse,  and  almost  at  the  same  moment  we  both 
discovered  that  we  were  not  the  only  prisoners  in  the 
hands  of  the  Avisibba,  but  that  two  other  men  were 
secured  to  large  stakes  at  a  little  distance  from  us. 
The  white  garment  that  had  attracted  my  attention  was 
a  burnouse,  and,  to  my  amazement,  I  saw  that  its 
wearer  was  an  Arab,  and  that  his  companion  in  mis- 
fortune was  a  half-clothed  savage  of  a  dusky  copper 
hue. 

"  Hail  !  Son  of  Al-Islam  !  Whence  comest  thou  ?  " 
I  shouted  in  Arabic,  endeavoring  to  attract  his  atten- 
tion. But  my  greeting  was  lost  amid  the  shrill  yells 
and  unceasing  chatter  of  our  merciless  captors.  A 
group  of  the  black  warriors,  each  wearing  a  strip  of 
bark-cloth  and  a  necklet  of  human  teeth,  noticing  my 
effort  to  arouse  my  fellow-prisoner,  leaped  before  me, 
gesticulating,  shouting  gleefully,  grinning  from  ear  to 
ear  and  rubbing  their  paunches  with  their  hands  with 
lively  anticipation. 

Again  I  shouted  to  my  luckless  fellow-prisoner,  but 
Tiamo  remarked,  "  See  !  his  chin  hath  fallen  upon  his 
breast.  The  sun  hath  stricken  him,  and  he  hath  lost 
consciousness.  Only  his  cords  save  him  from  falling 
prone  to  earth." 

The  dwarf  spoke  the  truth.  No  doubt  my  co-re- 
ligionist had  remained  bound  to  the  stake  during  the 
whole  day,  and  there  being  no  shade,  thirst  and  heat 
had  consumed  him.  Whence  he  came  was  a  complete 
mystery.  I  was  unaware  that  any  Arab  had  penetrated 
the  terrible  Forest  of  Perpetual  Night,  and  it  suddenly 


Bvteibba.  185 

occurred  to  me  that  possibly  there  might  be  some  ap- 
proach to  the  Aruwimi  from  the  sun-lit  land  of  Al-Is- 
lam  other  than  that  we  had  traversed. 

From  these  fierce,  pugnacious  savages,  who  set  no 
value  upon  human  life,  I  could  obtain  knowledge  of  the 
whereabouts  of  the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin  !  They 
were  indeed  of  those  who  have  erred  and  denied  Allah 
as  a  falsehood,  and  who  shall  eat  of  the  fruit  of  the 
tree  of  Al-Zakkum,  and  fill  their  bellies  therewith,  and 
shall  drink  boiling  water.  I  looked  upon  the  strange, 
weird  group  dancing  around  us,  ready  to  take  our  lives 
and  cast  our  bones  upon  the  refuse-heap,  wondering 
how  I  could  propitiate  them  and  obtain  the  knowledge 
I  sought. 

"  Speak  unto  them,  Tiamo,"  I  cried.  "  Explain  that 
we  are  not  enemies  ;  that  we  are  only  belated  way- 
farers in  search  of  the  Great  Rock." 

The  dwarf  addressed  them,  but  apparently  they  did 
not  catch  the  meaning  of  his  words,  for  they  only 
laughed  the  more. 

"  A  hundred  times,  O  my  master,  have  I  told  them  of 
our  quest,"  Tiamo  answered,  dolefully.  "  But,  alas  ! 
they  will  not  listen.  They  declare  that  we  are  spies  of 
Kaba  Rega  ;  that  we  shall  die." 

"  Are  the  others  spies  ? "  I  inquired. 

"  I  know  not.  They  will  not  loosen  their  tongues' 
strings." 

It  was  evident  we  were  in  a  very  critical  position, 
and  I  cried  unto  Allah  to  place  before  me  the  shield  of 
his  protection.  Years  ago  I  had  heard,  during  my 
studies  at  the  French  Lyce"e  at  Algiers,  that  almost  all 
the  races  in  the  Great  Forest  of  the  Congo  practise 
cannibalism,  although  in  some  parts  it  is  prevented  by 
the  presence  of  white  civilization.  An  extensive  traffic 
in  human  flesh  prevails  in  many  districts,  slaves  being 


i86  Ebe  Bse  of  fstar. 

kept  and  sold  as  articles  of  food.  Contrary  to  an  ig- 
norant yet  very  generally  accepted  theory,  the  negro 
man-eater  never  eats  flesh  raw,  and  certainly  takes 
human  flesh  as  food  purely  and  simply,  and  not  from 
religious  or  superstitious  reasons.  Among  the  Avis- 
ibba  we  saw  neither  gray-haired  persons,  halt,  maimed 
nor  blind,  for  even  parents  were  eaten  by  their  children 
on  the  approach  of  the  least  sign  of  old  age. 

We  saw  skulls  used  as  drinking-vessels,  and  even  as 
we  waited,  breathlessly  apprehensive  of  our  fate,  we 
witnessed  our  captors  piling  up  a  great  fire  near  the 
platform  with  dried  sticks  and  leaves.  So  full  of  hor- 
ror was  each  moment  that  it  seemed  an  hour.  The 
excitement  in  the  village  increased.  Men  brandishing 
their  spears,  and  women  wearing  bunches  of  freshly- 
plucked  leaves  at  the  back  of  their  loin-cloths  in 
honor  of  the  coming  feast,  leaped,  danced  and  roared 
with  bull  voices.  Little  black  children  came  and 
looked  at  me  curiously,  no  doubt  remarking  upon  the 
whiteness  of  my  skin  in  comparison  with  theirs  ;  then 
ran  away,  dancing  and  clapping  their  hands,  infected 
with  the  wild,  savage  glee  of  their  elders. 

The  sun  sank,  the  dusk  deepened,  and  as  there  gath- 
ered the  shadows  of  a  starless  night,  the  blazing  fire  in 
the  centre  of  the  village  threw  a  red,  lurid  glare  upon 
the  fantastic-looking  huts,  the  crowds  of  savages,  and 
the  thick  foliage  of  the  primeval  forest  by  which  we 
were  surrounded.  Presently  there  was  a  great  stir 
among  the  warriors,  mats  were  hurriedly  spread  be- 
neath a  sickly  dwarf  tree  near  to  where  we  were,  the 
great  ivory  horns  gave  forth  mellow  blares,  reminding 
me  of  the  Khalifa's  Court  at  Omdurman,  and  from 
among  the  excited  crowd  the  chief  of  the  Avisibba,  a 
tall,  thin-featured  savage,  wearing  a  fine  leopard-skin, 
advanced  and  seated  himself  upon  the  low  stool  placed 


187 

for  him.  The  flickering  light  from  the  fire  showed 
that  beneath  the  strange  square  helmet  of  burnished 
copper,  surmounted  by  a  large  bunch  of  parrot's  feath- 
ers, was  a  face  full  of  humor,  pleasure  and  contentment. 

When  the  whole  village  had  assembled  before  him, 
pointing  towards  us,  shouting  and  gesticulating  vio- 
lently, he  suddenly  turned  and  spoke  briefly  and  low  to 
his  sub-chiefs  and  satellites.  There  was  an  instant's 
silence  until  the  sub-chiefs  spoke.  Then  wild,  piercing 
yells,  truly  the  war-cry  of  cannibals,  awakened  the 
echoes  of  the  forest  as  the  whole  dusky  horde  rushed 
off  to  where  our  fellow-captives  were  secured. 

It  was  evident  they  were  to  be  sacrificed  first. 

A  few  moments  later  the  bonds  that  had  held  the 
copper-hued  negro  to  the  stake  were  loosened,  and  he 
was  hurried  by  a  dozen  warriors  into  the  presence  of 
their  chief,  amid  a  storm  of  triumphant  cries.  The 
courage  displayed  by  the  unfortunate  captive  was  in- 
domitable. Folding  his  arms,  he  stood  before  the 
chief  of  his  enemies,  gazing  upon  him  with  withering 
contempt.  The  onlookers  were  silent.  The  chief, 
squatting  upon  his  low,  six-legged  stool,  uttered  some 
fierce  words,  apparently  interrogating  him,  to  which  the 
doomed  man  replied  with  scornful  gesture. 

Again  the  tall  warrior  in  the  copper  helmet  gave  the 
victim  a  quick  glance,  his  eyes  gleaming  with  unearthly 
glitter  in  his  almost  featureless  face,  and  repeated  his 
question  ;  but  the  proud  forest-dweller  reared  his  tall 
body  up,  raising  his  voice  until  his  words  reached  me. 
Tiamo  was  equally  startled  with  myself,  for  the  half- 
naked  savage  was  speaking  in  Arabic,  apparently  igno- 
rant of  the  tongue  of  the  cannibals. 

Standing  calmly  before  the  chief,  he  delivered  some 
terrible  curses  upon  him,  while  the  crowd  of  savages 
were  silent,  striving  to  understand  his  meaning. 


of  Istar. 

"  Thou  art  a  dog,  and  a  son  of  a  dog,"  he  shouted. 
"  Cursed  is  he  who  breaketh  his  plighted  vow  ;  cursed 
is  he  who  nourisheth  secret  hate  ;  cursed  is  he  who 
turneth  his  back  upon  his  friend  ;  cursed  is  he  who  in 
the  day  of  war  turneth  his  back  against  his  brother  ; 
cursed  is  he  who  eateth  the  flesh  of  his  enemies  ; 
cursed  is  he  who  defileth  his  mouth  with  human  blood  ; 
cursed  is  he  who  deviseth  evil  to  his  friend  whose 
blood  has  become  one  with  his  own.  May  sickness 
waste  his  strength  and  his  days  be  narrowed  by  di- 
sease ;  may  his  limbs  fail  him  in  the  day  of  battle,  and 
may  his  arms  stiffen  with  cramps  ;  may  the  adder  wait 
for  him  by  the  path,  and  may  the  lion  meet  him  on  his 
way  ;  may  the  itch  make  him  loathsome  and  the  hair 
of  his  head  be  lost  by  the  mange  ;  may  the  arrow  of 
his  enemies  pin  his  entrails,  and  may  the  spear  of  his 
brother  be  dyed  in  his  vitals.  May  a  blight  fall  upon 
thine  accursed  land,  O  Sheikh  !  May  thy  wives  be 
seized  as  slaves  by  the  pigmies  of  the  Wambutti,  and 
may  the  vengeance  of  Allah,  the  One  Mighty  and  Just, 
descend  upon  thee.  May  thy  face  be  rolled  in  hell-fire, 
and  thy  torment  be  perpetual  ;  may  the  flame  and 
smoke  surround  thee  like  a  pavilion,  and  if  thou  cravest 
relief  may  thy  thirst  by  slacked  by  the  water  that  shall 
scald  thy  countenance  like  molten  brass.  I  am  in  thy 
hands  ;  verily,  Allah  will  punish  him  who  taketh  the 
life  of  a  Believer.  Whoever  shall  have  wrought  evil 
shall  be  thrown  on  his  face  into  the  fire  unquenchable." 

The  fierce  rabble  gazed  at  each  other,  puzzled  and 
unable  to  understand  a  single  syllable. 

"  Well  spoken  !  "  I  cried  excitedly,  in  Arabic.  "  If  it 
is  Allah's  will  that  we  die,  we  fear  not.  It  is  written 
that  the  One  Omniscient  favoreth  the  Faithful,  and 
lighteneth  his  burden." 

The  captive  started  at  hearing  words  in  the  tongue 


Bvisibba.  189 

he  understood,  and  turned  in  my  direction ;  but  we 
were  in  the  shadow,  therefore  it  was  evident  he  could 
not  distinguish  us. 

The  silence  was  unbroken  for  a  few  seconds,  save  by 
the  ominous  crackling  of  the  fire,  while  the  chief  con- 
sulted with  his  satellites  ;  then  the  latter,  waving  their 
hands,  uttered  some  words.  A  big  warrior  placed  the 
ivory  horn  to  his  lips  and  blew  thrice  lustily,  and  in  a 
moment  the  scene  was  one  of  intense  excitement. 
Fifty  impatient  pairs  of  hands  seized  the  luckless  man, 
and  allowing  him  no  further  utterance,  hurried  him 
away  to  the  small  platform  ten  yards  distant,  within 
full  view  of  us. 

Scarce  daring  to  look,  I  held  my  breath.  The  howls 
of  wild  beasts  were  heard  in  the  forest.  Yet  curiosity 
prompted  me  to  ascertain  in  what  mode  my  own  life 
was  shortly  to  be  taken,  and  I  gazed,  fascinated,  at 
the  black  figures  moving  and  dancing  in  the  red  light 
thrown  by  the  burning  branches,  like  demons  let  loose 
from  Al-Hawiyat.  Suddenly  a  shrill  scream  of  agony 
rent  the  night  air,  and  sent  a  thrill  of  horror  through 
me.  Then  I  could  see  that  our  captors  had  stretched 
the  unfortunate  wretch  upon  his  stomach  on  the  planks 
of  the  platform,  and  while  twenty  pairs  of  hands  held 
him  firmly  down,  incantations  were  being  uttered  by  a 
man  shaking  pebbles  in  a  magic  gourd,  while  at  the 
same  time  a  black  giant  was  wielding  a  huge  club  of 
black  wood,  relentlessly  breaking  the  bones  of  the 
victim's  arms  and  legs. 

I  closed  my  eyes  to  shut  out  the  sight.  With  the 
wild  Ansar  of  the  Khalifa  I  had  witnessed  many  fearful 
tortures  to  which  prisoners  had  been  subjected,  but 
never  before  had  I  seen  a  man's  limbs  crushed  in  so 
methodical  and  heartless  a  manner.  The  victim's 
screams  and  groans  grew  fainter  until  they  ceased  en- 


Gbe  BK  of  Istar. 


tirely,  for  he  had  lost  consciousness  under  the  excruci- 
ating pain.  When  again  I  summoned  courage  to  glance 
in  his  direction,  I  observed  that  four  men  had  seized 
him,  and  were  carrying  his  inanimate  form  towards  the 
narrow  stream  that  flowed  swiftly  by  on  its  way  to  join 
the  Aruwimi.  The  fire,  at  that  moment  stirred  by  an 
enthusiast,  illumined  the  village  brilliantly,  enabling 
me  to  watch  the  subsequent  movements  of  these  ghoul- 
ish fiends.  At  first  it  appeared  that  they  were  about 
to  wash  or  drown  their  captive,  but  such  proved  not  to 
be  the  case,  for  three  of  the  men  jumped  into  the 
stream,  and,  pulling  in  the  helpless  victim,  still  alive, 
they  tied  him  to  a  stake  in  the  water,  with  his  head 
firmly  fixed  in  a  forked  stick  above  the  surface,  in 
order  to  prevent  him  from  committing  suicide  by 
drowning  on  regaining  consciousness.  Then  I  re- 
membered that  long  ago  I  had  heard  a  rumor  that  this 
tribe  were  in  the  habit  of  placing  the  body,  thus  mu- 
tilated and  still  living,  in  water  for  periods  varying 
from  two  hours  to  two  or  three  days,  on  the  supposition 
that  this  pre-mortem  treatment  rendered  the  flesh  more 
palatable.  I  shuddered. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

THE    IVORY    RAIDERS. 

THOSE  moments  were  full  of  torments,  fears  and 
anxieties.  Neither  Tiamo  nor  myself  uttered  a  word. 
We  knew  our  fate,  and  awaited  it,  overwhelmed  by 
misfortune.  Assuredly  a  grievous  punishment  is  pre- 
pared for  the  unjust.  '  For  many  moons  we  had  toiled 
onward  together,  surmounting  every  obstacle,  penetra- 


flvorg  IRaiDers.  191 

ting  the  Forest  of  Perpetual  Night,  wherein  none  from 
the  north  had  ever  dared  to  venture,  until  our  features 
had  become  famine-sharpened,  and  our  feet  blistered 
and  torn.  Yet  we  had  endured  the  privations,  faced 
the  terrors  of  the  dark,  dismal  forest,  and  the  poisoned 
arrows  of  hidden  enemies  ;  had  fed  for  weeks  upon  the 
flat  wood-beans,  acid  wild  fruit  and  strange  fungi,  en- 
couraged to  strive  for  existence  by  the  knowledge  that 
here,  amid  these  primitive  denizens  of  the  woods,  we 
could  obtain  a  clue  to  the  whereabouts  of  the  mystic 
rock  we  sought — the  spot  where  was  promised  a  solu- 
tion of  the  one  extraordinary  mystery  of  my  life. 
Never  once  had  Tiamo  hesitated  or  failed.  He  was  as 
true  to  me  as  to  his  mistress,  Azala,  and  ofttimes  in 
the  depths  of  the  great,  gloomy  region  he  had  urged 
me  to  look  forward  with  hope  to  a  triumphant  return 
to  Kano  and  to  the  graceful,  true-hearted  woman  who 
loved  me  so  dearly. 

But  having  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  Avisibba  all 
further  progress  towards  the  mystic  Land  of  the  No 
Return  was  arrested.  Vainly  I  had  looked  about  for 
some  mode  of  escape,  but,  alas  !  could  discover  none. 
With  these  fierce  warriors  all  argument  and  declara- 
tions of  friendship  had  proved  futile.  They  were  man- 
eaters,  who  looked  upon  all  captives  as  lawful  food  ; 
and  we  knew  that  our  fate  could  not  be  much  longer 
delayed. 

The  Arab,  who  had  not  yet  regained  consciousness, 
was  the  next  victim  dragged  into  the  chief's  presence. 
Quickly  he  was  divested  of  his  burnouse,  and  the  chief, 
rising  with  imperious  gesture,  bade  his  attendants 
array  him  in  the  cloak  of  his  prisoner.  As  he  wrapped 
it  about  him  with  a  self-satisfied  air,  the  people  raised 
their  voices  in  admiration,  and  at  a  sign  dragged  the 
unconscious  wretch  towards  his  doom. 


192  Ube  Ege  of  f  star. 

Already  the  pebbles  rattled  in  the  magic  gourd,  and 
above  the  chatter  of  the  dusky  rabble,  incantations 
were  sounding  loudly,  when  my  eyes,  turned  purposely 
from  the  horrible  sight,  suddenly  caught  a  glimpse  of 
an  object  slowly  moving  over  the  roof  of  plantain- 
leaves  that  covered  one  of  the  huts.  Again  I  looked, 
with  eyes  strained  into  the  dark  night,  and  distin- 
guished the  figure  of  a  man,  lying  full  length  upon  the 
roof,  creep  cautiously  along  and  peer  over  at  the  weird 
scene.  Suddenly  another  dark  head  appeared  against 
the  night  sky,  and  as  I  glanced  around  at  other  huts, 
I  saw  a  man  lying  flat  upon  the  roof  of  each. 

Almost  before  I  could  fully  realize  that  the  operations 
of  the  cannibals  were  being  watched  so  narrowly,  a 
red  flash  of  fire  showed  where  the  first  mysterious 
figure  was  kneeling,  followed  by  the  report  of  a  gun, 
and  next  second  the  chief  fell  forward  from  his  stool, 
dead — shot  through  the  heart. 

Startled  by  the  report,  the  whole  village  was  in- 
stantly in  confusion,  but  ere  they  could  discover 
whence  the  shot  was  fired,  a  withering  volley  was 
poured  into  them  from  the  roofs  of  the  huts,  by  which 
many  fell  dead  and  wounded.  Then  we  became  aware 
that  the  village  was  the  object  of  attack,  and,  by  the 
flashing  of  the  guns  on  every  side,  knew  it  was  sur- 
rounded. The  ivory  horn  was  sounded,  and  the  Avis- 
ibba  responded  with  alacrity  to  the  call  to  arms,  but 
volley  after  volley  was  poured  into  the  centre  of  the 
place,  and  bullets  were'whistling  about  us  and  tearing 
their  way  through  the  foliage  overhead. 

The  first  shot  had  been  well  aimed,  but  although 
their  chief  was  dead,  the  warriors,  shouting  defiance  in 
loud,  strident  tones,  seized  their  spears,  shields  and 
bows,  and  commenced  to  shoot  their  poisoned  arrows 
wherever  a  flash  betrayed  the  position  of  an  enemy. 


f  vorg  "KaiSers.  193 

Who,  we  wondered,  were  the  assailants  ?  Their  pos- 
session of  guns  told  us  nothing,  as  many  of  the  can- 
nibal tribes  near  the  Congo  possess  firearms.  Never- 
theless, the  attack  would  probably  result  in  our  lives 
being  spared,  therefore  we  pressed  ourselves  as  closely 
as  we  could  to  the  trees  to  which  we  were  bound  and 
awaited  the  result. 

For  fully  five  minutes  our  mysterious  assailants  kept 
up  a  rapid  rifle  fire.  The  air  was  filled  with  the  uproar 
of  the  shouts,  as  the  mass  of  noisy,  lusty-voiced  canni- 
bals defended  their  homes  with  arrow  and  spear,  but, 
finding  that  each  volley  maimed  or  killed  some  of  their 
number,  they  at  length  swarmed  out  of  the  roughly- 
made  wooden  gate  of  the  village  to  repel  the  attack  in 
the  open,  leaving  their  women  and  children  behind. 

The  great  fire  burned  low,  but  upon  the  platform  I 
could  distinguish  the  inanimate  form  of  the  Arab, 
stretched  as  it  had  been  left,  and  the  body  of  the  can- 
nibal chief  was  still  lying  where  it  had  fallen,  his 
plumed  helmet  having  been  assumed  by  his  son.  Be- 
yond the  stockade  enclosing  the  rows  of  huts,  the  din 
of  heavy  firing  increased,  and  the  yells  of  the  savages 
rose  louder  as  the  fight  continued,  until,  at  length,  one 
or  two  wounded  natives  staggered  back  to  their  homes 
and  fell  to  earth,  each  being  quickly  surrounded  by  a 
chattering  crowd  of  excited  women.  At  length  the 
savage  shrieks  outside  sounded  fainter,  the  firing 
seemed  to  recede,  as  if  the  natives  had  taken  to  the 
forest,  and  their  assailants  were  following  them,  when 
suddenly,  from  the  roofs  there  dropped  a  dozen  men, 
wearing  white  gandouras,  firing  their  guns  indiscrimi- 
nately at  the  women,  in  order  to  frighten  them  into  sub- 
mission as  prisoners,  and,  as  they  did  this,  about  two 
hundred  others  swarmed  in  from  the  opposite  direction, 
having  entered  by  the  gate. 


194  tlbe  J&ye  of  tfstar. 

I  stood  staring  at  them — amazed.  They  were  shout- 
ing in  my  own  tongue  ! — they  were  Arabs  !  To  two  of 
the  men  who  rushed  past  us,  I  cried  in  Arabic  to  re- 
lease me  ;  and,  finding  I  was  one  of  their  race,  and  that 
Tiamo  was  my  slave,  they  quickly  drew  their  jambiyahs 
and  severed  our  bonds. 

Delighted,  we  both  dashed  forward,  and  regained 
freedom.  A  dozen  of  our  rescuers  were  trying  to  re- 
suscitate their  unfortunate  tribesman  lying  on  the 
planks,  and  were  so  far  successful  that  he  was  soon 
able  to  stand.  The  attack  had  been  delivered  just  at 
the  right  moment ;  had  it  been  delayed  another  in- 
stant his  limbs  would  have  been  shattered  by  the  heavy 
mace.  Meanwhile,  into  the  village  there  continued  to 
pour  large  numbers  of  Arabs,  with  their  negro  allies, 
and,  while  some  secured  and  bound  the  women  and 
children  as  slaves,  the  remainder  entered  and  looted 
the  huts  of  everything  that  was  considered  of  value. 
Once  or  twice,  men  near  me  received  wounds  from  the 
arrows  of  a  few  cannibals  lurking  around  corners, 
therefore,  I  deemed  it  prudent  to  seize  the  gun  and 
ammunition  bag  of  a  dead  Arab,  an  example  imitated 
by  Tiamo. 

Up  to  this  moment  we  knew  not  the  identity  of  our 
half-caste  rescuers,  for  all  were  so  excited  that  we 
could  learn  nothing.  Presently,  however,  when  the 
women  and  children  had  been  marched  outside  to  join 
the  warriors  who  had  been  taken  as  prisoners,  I  gave 
one  of  the  Arabs  "  peace,"  and  expressed  thanks  for  my 
timely  rescue. 

"It  is  Allah's  work,  O  friend.  Thank  him,"  he  an- 
swered, piously. 

"  Of  what  tribe  art  thou  ?  Whence  comest  thou  ? " 
I  inquired,  eagerly. 

"  We  come  from  the  Kivira  (forest).  We  are  the 
men  of  Tippu-Tib,"  he  answered. 


Hvorg  TRaiDers.  195 

"  Tippu-Tib  !  "  I  echoed,  dismayed,  well-knowing 
that  these  •  ferocious  bandits  were  the  ivory-raiders 
whose  sanguinary  and  destructive  marches  were  com- 
mon talk,  even  in  Omdurman.  Tippu-Tib  was,  accord- 
ing to  rumor  in  the  Soudan,  the  uncrowned  king  of  the 
region  between  Stanley  Falls  and  Tanganyika  Lake, 
for  thousands  of  Arabs  had  flocked  to  his  standard, 
and  his  well-armed  caravans  were  dreaded  everywhere 
throughout  the  Great  Upper  Congo  Forest.  In  their 
search  for  stores  of  ivory  they  had,  I  afterwards  learnt, 
levelled  into  black  ashes  every  settlement  they  en- 
tered, enslaved  the  women  and  children,  destroyed 
their  plantain  groves,  split  their  canoes,  searched  every 
spot  where  ivory  might  be  concealed,  killed  as  many 
natives  as  craft  and  cruelty  would  enable  them,  and 
tortured  others  into  disclosing  where  the  treasure  was 
hidden. 

These  bandits  were  now  marching  through  the  Great 
Forest  for  the  sole  purpose  of  pillage  and  murder,  to 
kill  the  adult  aborigines,  capture  the  women  and  chil- 
dren for  the  Arab,  Manyuema  and  Swahili  harems,  and 
seize  all  the  ivory  they  could  discover.  In  the  whole- 
sale slaughter  that  preceded  the  burning  of  the  Avis- 
ibba  village  not  a  man  was  spared.  The  fight  ended 
in  a  ghastly  massacre.  Some  escaped  into  the  depths 
of  the  forest,  but  the  others  were  shot  down  to  the  last 
man.  Then  the  fighting-men  and  slave-carriers  searched 
every  nook  in  the  village  until  at  length  the  chief's 
store  of  ivory,  consisting  of  over  eighty  fine  tusks,  was 
discovered  secreted  in  a  pit  beneath  one  of  the  huts, 
and  being  unearthed,  amid  much  excitement  was  dis- 
tributed among  the  carriers.  Afterwards  the  village 
was  burned  to  the  ground.  Truly  report  had  not  lied 
when  it  attributed  to  the  men  of  Tippu-Tib  the  most 
revolting,  heartless  cruelty  and  wanton  destruction. 


1 96  Gbe  ;E£e  of  Istar. 

We  had  been  rescued  from  a  horrible  death,  but 
swiftly  indeed  had  the  curses  of  the  man  whose  limbs 
had  been  so  brutally  crushed  fallen  upon  the  savage 
chief  ;  swiftly  indeed  had  Allah's  wrath  fallen  upon  the 
village.  Both  our  fellow-captives  had,  I  learned,  been 
scouting  at  dawn  on  that  day,  and  been  seized  by  the 
Avisibba.  Tippu-Tib  was  not  present  in  person,  pre- 
ferring to  remain  away  in  the  far  south,  near  Ujiji, 
while  his  men  gathered  wealth  for  him  ;  his  head  men, 
it  was  said,  being  rewarded  with  all  ivories  weighing 
from  twenty  to  thirty  pounds,  all  over  that  weight  be- 
longing to  him,  and  those  under  being  kept  by  the 
finders.  By  this  arrangement  every  man  in  the  car- 
avan was  incited  to  do  his  best,  and  it  is  little  wonder 
that  they  should  descend  upon  villages  without  mercy, 
each  fighting-man  and  slave  seeking  to  obtain  the 
largest  share  of  slaves,  ivory  and  other  loot.  It  is  not 
surprising  either  that  the  very  names  of  Tippu-Tib, 
Kilonga-Longa,  Ugarrowwa,  Mumi  Muhala,  Bwana 
Mohamed  and  other  ivory-raiders,  should  be  held  in 
awe  by  the  natives  of  the  great  tracts  of  primeval  for- 
est and  grassland,  covering  thousands  of  square  miles, 
between  the  country  of  the  Niam-Niam  and  Lake  Kas- 
sajjj  and  between  Lake  Leopold  II.  and  the  unexplored 
Lake  of  Ozo. 

There  was  delay  in  distributing  the  burdens  among 
the  carriers,  delay  in  securing  the  sorrowing  band  of 
Avisibba  women  and  children,  delay  in  packing  up  the 
loot  for  transportation,  and  in  cooking  and  eating  the 
fowls,  plantain  flour,  manioc  and  bananas  which  had 
been  found  in  the  huts.  Therefore  it  was  not  until  the 
shadows  of  the  trees,  creeping  on  as  the  sun  passed 
overhead,  reminded  the  raiders  that  the  day  was  wear- 
ing on,  that  they  left  the  smouldering  ashes  of  the 
village  to  resume  the  march. 


ITvorg  IRat&ers.  197 

During  the  great  feast  that  followed  the  fight,  I  had 
explained  to  Ngalyema,  the  half-breed  headman,  that  I 
was  an  Arab  from  the  north,  and  related  how  I  and  my 
slave  had  been  seized  in  the  forest  and  brought  to  the 
village  as  captives.  When  he  had  listened  intently  to 
my  story,  he  said,  laughing, — 

"  Allah  hath  willed  thy  release.  Join  our  expedition 
and  share  the  ivory  with  us,  for  assuredly  we  have  been 
favored  on  our  journey,  and  have  secured  many  tusks 
and  hundreds  of  slaves,"  and  he  lolled  upon  his  arm 
and  pulled  apart  a  piece  of  fowl  with  his  fingers. 
Finding  I  was  a  true-bred  Arab,  he  had  placed  me  on 
a  social  level  with  himself,  and  spoke  openly. 

"  Whither  goest  thou  ? "  I  inquired. 

"  Eastward,  up  the  river  to  Ipoto,  where  our  head- 
quarters are  at  present  established.  Thence  we  shall 
continue  to  ascend  the  Ituri  to  Kavalli's,  and  after- 
wards to  the  grasslands  that  border  the  Albert  Nyanza. 
But  what  mission  bringest  thou  hither  from  the  far 
north,  without  fighting-men  ?  "  he  asked,  looking  at  me 
sharply. 

"  I  am  in  search  of  a  spot,  the  direction  of  which 
none  knoweth  save  Allah,"  I  answered,  it  having  sud- 
denly occurred  to  me,  that  perhaps,  in  the  course  of  his 
wanderings,  he  might  have  obtained  the  knowledge  of 
which  I  was  in  search. 

"  What  is  its  name  ?  " 

"  It  is  a  wondrous  black  crag,  and  is  known  to  those 
who  live  in  the  deserts  as  the  Rock  of  the  Great 
Sin." 

"  The  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin  !  "  he  slowly  repeated, 
gazing  at  me  in  astonishment.  "Thou,  O  friend,  art 
not  alone  in  seeking  to  discover  it?" 

"  Not  alone  ?  "  I  cried.  "  Who  seeketh  it  beside  my- 
self ?" 


198  ftbe  JBye  of  iFstat. 

"  A  white  man  who  came  to  Uganda  by  smoke-boat 
across  the  Victoria  Nyanza." 

"  What  was  his  name  ?  "  I  asked,  eagerly. 

"  I  know  not.  He  was  a  Roumi  of  the  English,  and 
one  of  Allah's  accursed." 

"  Didst  thou  have  speech  with  him  ? ' 

"  Yea,  he  sought  me  at  Masaka  eight  moons  ago,  and 
knowing  that  I  had  led  my  master's  caravan  across  the 
forest  may  times,  asked  me  whether  I  could  direct  him 
to  the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin,  and " 

"  And  didst  thou  guide  him  thither  ? "  I  demanded, 
breathlessly. 

"  Nay.  He  offered  two  bags  of  gold  and  ten  guns 
to  any  who  would  guide  him  thither,  but  unfortunately 
neither  myself  nor  any  of  my  followers  knew  its  where- 
abouts." 

"Why  did  this  tou  bab  (European)  desire  to  dis- 
cover it  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  He  did  not  reveal.  I  told  him  that  within  the 
rock  was  the  place  of  torment  prepared  for  unbe- 
lievers, but  my  words  only  increased  his  curiosity  and 
anxiety  to  find  it,"  and  the  thick-lipped  headman 
grinned. 

"Then  thou  canst  give  me  absolutely  no  informa- 
tion," I  observed,  disappointedly.  "  Hast  thou,  in  the 
course  of  thy  many  journeys  afar,  learned  nothing  of  its 
existence  beyond  what  the  wise  men  and  story-tellers 
relate?" 

"  Since  I  left  Masaka  I  have,  in  truth,  learned  one 
thing,"  he  answered,  his  capacious  mouth  still  full  of 
food. 

"  What  is  it  ?    Tell  me,"  I  cried. 

Ngalyema  hesitated  for  a  moment,  then  answered, — 

"  Three  moons  ago,  during  a  raid  upon  one  of  the 
villages  of  the  Wambutti  pigmies,  three  days'  march 


IRai&ers.  199 

into  the  forest  from  Ipoto,  one  of  the  dwarfs  of  the 
woods  who  fell  into  our  hands  told  me  he  knew  the 
whereabouts  of  the  rock,  and  that  it  was  far  away, 
many,  many  days'  journey  in  the  forest,  and  quite  in- 
accessible. 

"  In  which  direction  ?  " 

"  I  know  not,"  the  headman  answered.  "  The  dwarf 
had  been  wounded  by  a  gunshot,  and  pleaded  for  the 
release  of  his  wife.  I  kept  him  while  I  settled  a  dis- 
pute which  had  arisen  about  some  ivory  we  had  dis- 
covered in  the  settlement,  intending  to  question  him 
further,  but  when  I  returned  to  where  I  had  left  him  he 
was  dead." 

"  And  his  wife  ?     Did  she  know  anything  ?  " 

"  No ;  she  had  heard  of  the  rock  as  the  dwelling- 
place  of  some  pagan  spirit  that  they  feared,  but  knew 
not  where  it  was  situated." 

"  Then,  whither  dost  thou  advise  me  to  searth  for  in- 
formation ?  Among  the  pigmies  of  the  Wambutti  ?" 

"  Yea.  It  is  evident  they  are  aware  of  its  existence, 
though  apparently  they  regard  it  as  a  sacred  spot,  and 
guard  the  secret  of  its  existence  jealously.  The  man- 
ner in  which  the  dwarf  appealed  to  me,  declaring  that 
he  would  disclose  the  secret  if  I  released  his  wife, 
showed  that  he  believed  he  was  imparting  to  me  in- 
formation of  the  highest  importance.  What  is  hidden 
there  I  cannot  tell ;  but  it  is  strange  that  both  the  white 
man  and  thyself  should  desire  to  rest  thine  eyes  upon 
it." 

"  I  have  taken  an  oath  to  a  woman  to  endeavor  to 
discover  it,"  I  answered,  simply.  "  I  will  accompany 
thee  in  thy  return  towards  the  country  of  the  pigmies 
and  continue  my  search  among  them." 

"  If  thou  goest  among  them,  may  the  One  Merciful 
grant  thee  mercy,"  Ngalyema  said. 


BBC  of  latar. 

"  He  alone  can  guide  the  footsteps  and  reveal  that 
which  is  hidden,"  I  added.  "  Onward  to  Ipoto  will  I 
journey  with  thee,  and  strive  to  learn  the  secret  of  the 
forest-dwarfs.  Of  a  verity  will  I  follow  the  clue  thou 
hast  given  unto  me.  Allah  maketh  abundant  provision 
for  such  of  his  servants  as  he  pleaseth.  He  knoweth 
whatever  is  in  heaven  and  earth." 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

NGALYEMA. 

THERE  is  much  truth  in  our  Arab  saying,  that  a  day 
of  pain  appears  everlasting  if  one  does  not  dream  of 
the  bright  to-morrow.  A  life's  unrest,  indeed,  seems 
but  a  day's  if  one  looks  to  the  calm  that  Allah  has 
promised  shall  be  the  reward  of  Believers.  Beyond 
the  pain  and  weariness  is  a  white  dawn,  reunion  and 
peace.  Life  with  the  fierce  brigands  of  Tippu-Tib,  the 
ivory  king,  was  full  of  vicissitudes  and  horrors,  as  along 
the  narrow  native  track,  through  the  gloomy  forest,  we 
pushed  forward. 

Owing  to  the  large  number  of  rapids,  it  was  impos- 
sible for  the  raiders  to  use  the  native  canoes  to  ascend 
the  Aruwimi  on  their  return  to  Ipoto,  where  they  had 
temporarily  established  themselves  ;  therefore,  in  order 
to  secure  more  ivory  and  slaves,  Ngalyema  had  decided 
to  take  a  route  which  ran  into  the  forest,  six  days' 
journey  from  the  river,  and  which  the  guides  assured 
us  would  follow  the  course  of  the  Ituri  and  pass 
through  a  district  where  many  settlements  might  be 
raided. 

Compelled    to    travel    in    single    file,   our    journey 


201 

through  the  dark,  endless  Forest  of  Perpetual  Night 
was  slow,  tedious  and  hazardous.  At  almost  every 
step  we  were  retarded  by  stumps,  roots,  climbers,  con- 
volvuli  and  green-scummed  pools,  while,  by  the  ab- 
sence of  light,  we  were  chilled  and  depressed,  and  the 
poisonous  odors  arising  from  the  decaying  mass  of 
vegetation  sickened  us.  Here  and  there,  where  the 
interlaced  foliage  overhead  allowed  the  sunshine  to 
struggle  through,  flocks  of  parrots  screamed  and 
whistled  gleefully,  and  the  tall  tree-trunks  looked  gray 
and  ghostly  in  the  pale  light  ;  but  our  progress,  creep- 
ing among  the  dense  undergrowth,  and  climbing  over 
fallen  patriarchs  of  the  forest,  was  full  of  anxiety. 
Plantains  grew  everywhere,  therefore  there  was  no 
lack  of  food  ;  but  the  brutality  with  which  the  raiders 
treated  their  slaves  caused  a  number  of  deaths  ere  we 
had  been  a  dozen  days  on  the  march. 

At  length,  one  morning,  the  scouts,  consisting  of  the 
two  native  guides,  and  about  twenty  Arabs,  who  were 
some  distance  ahead,  rushed  back  with  the  news  that 
they  had  come  upon  a  large  clearing,  and  that  we  were 
evidently  approaching  a  village.  The  order  to  halt 
was  immediately  given,  and  Ngalyema  himself,  with  a 
small  force,  went  rapidly  forward  with  the  scouts  to 
reconnoitre.  In  an  hour  they  returned,  stating  that 
there  were  several  villages  in  close  proximity,  and, 
with  my  gun  ready,  I  accompanied  the  fighting-men  in 
their  dash  forward.  Passing  across  the  clearing,  where 
every  plantain-stalk  bore  an  enormous  bunch  of  the 
fruit  which  filled  the  air  with  its  odor,  and  where  corn 
and  sugar-canes  were  profusely  cultivated,  our  pioneers 
suddenly  came  across  a  number  of  poisoned  skewers, 
artfully  concealed  in  the  path,  and  these  having  been 
carefully  picked  out,  we  crept  along,  past  a  heap  of 
bones  of  slaughtered  game,  to  surround  the  settlement. 


202  Gbe  BBC  of  flstar. 


It  was  exciting  work.  We  knew  not  whether  the 
alarm  had  already  been  raised  and  the  natives  were  ly- 
ing in  ambush.  Each  moment  we  expected  to  be 
greeted  with  a  flight  of  poisoned  arrows  from  the  con- 
cealed defenders  ;  but  as  we  got  within  sight  of  the 
huts  it  seemed  that  our  approach  had  been  unnoticed. 

Suddenly,  however,  the  white  garments  of  the  raiders 
attracted  attention,  and  in  a  few  moments  the  village 
was  in  a  tumult  of  apprehension.  Without  hesitation, 
our  thick-lipped  headman  ordered  the  raiders  to  dis- 
perse into  the  jungle  and  surround  the  village,  and  as 
they  dashed  away  and  I  took  up  a  position  behind  a 
tree  at  a  little  distance  from  Tiamo,  we  could  hear  loud 
blasts  being  blown  upon  a  horn. 

In  an  instant  the  raiders  opened  a  galling  fire.  A 
number  of  my  fellow-marksmen  had  clambered  up  the 
adjacent  trees,  others  were  concealed  in  the  dense 
undergrowth,  while  a  small  body  still  remained  in  the 
rear,  prepared  to  charge  when  commanded.  A  few 
seconds  after  the  alarm  had  been  raised,  the  black  war- 
riors, armed  with  bows,  arrows,  shields  and  long  spears, 
poured  out  of  the  stockade,  yelling  and  brandishing 
their  weapons,  but  so  well  had  the  attack  been  planned, 
that  each  volley  of  the  Arabs  felled  dozens  of  the 
blacks. 

Finding  that  we  had  got  into  ambush  so  cleverly, 
they  retired  immediately  within  their  stockade,  and 
from  their  cover  launched  flights  of  poisoned  arrows 
in  every  direction.  The  missiles,  the  merest  scratch 
from  which  would  produce  tetanus  and  death,  swept 
through  the  foliage  above  us  and  stuck  in  the  trunks 
of  the  trees  in  our  vicinity,  nevertheless  wherever  a 
black  head  or  savage  head-dress  showed  above  the  high 
stockade,  it  was  picked  off  with  unerring  precision  by 
our  sharpshooters. 


203 

The  rattle  of  musketry,  however,  had  alarmed  the 
neighboring  villages,  and  almost  before  we  were  aware 
of  it  we  were  attacked  in  the  rear  by  a  crowd  of  yelling 
savages  armed  with  clubs  and  bows.  For  a  few  min- 
utes our  position  appeared  exceedingly  critical  ;  but 
this  contingency  had  not  been  overlooked,  for  suddenly 
I  noticed  a  number  of  our  men,  who  had  been  left  to 
guard  the  slaves,  were  drawing  off  the  defenders'  rein- 
forcement, and  shooting  them  down  with  a  cool  reckless- 
ness that  was  surprising. 

For  half-an-hour  the  fierce  fusillade  continued,  until 
at  length  Ngalyemagave  the  signal  to  charge.  To  this 
the  Arabs  quickly  responded,  and  in  a  few  moments 
had  stormed  the  stockade  and  were  inside,  swarming 
over  the  huts,  and  fighting  the  savages  hand-to-hand. 
The  mel/e  was  exciting,  but  against  guns  savage  wea- 
pons proved  to  be  of  little  avail,  and  ere  long  a  ruthless 
massacre  of  the  unfortunate  blacks  became  general. 
The  very  air  was  halituous  of  freshly-shed  blood.  As  at 
Avisibba,  the  women  and  children  were  secured,  the  place 
looted,  and  every  nook  and  corner  searched,  to  discover 
the  secreted  tusks.  None,  however,  could  be  found. 

Ngalyema  had  evidently  good  cause  for  belief  that 
a  considerable  amount  of  ivory  had  been  collected, 
and  after  his  men  had  proceeded  to  the  three  other 
small  villages  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  thoroughly 
searched  them,  and  captured  the  defenceless  portion  of 
the  inhabitants,  the  chief  of  the  Avejeli,  whose  life  had 
been  spared,  was  brought  before  him.  His  name  was 
Yakul,  a  stalwart  savage,  of  proud  bearing,  wearing  a 
loin-cloth  of  goatskin  and  a  conical  shaped  head-dress 
ornamented  with  a  swaling  crimson  plume,  while  upon 
his  arms,  wrists  and  ankles  were  four  bangles  fashioned 
from  matako,  the  brass  rods  imported  by  white  traders 
on  the  Congo. 


204  Ube  Bge  of  IFstar. 


Through  one  of  the  guides,  who  spoke  the  Momvu 
tongue,  the  headman  of  the  raiders  put  a  question,  ask- 
ing where  his  ivory  was  concealed.  On  hearing  the 
inquiry,  even  before  it  was  fully  translated,  he  drew 
himself  up,  looked  keenly  into  Ngalyema's  face,  and 
answered,  — 

"  Thou  hast  killed  and  enslaved  my  people,  and  thou 
mayest  kill  me.  Thou  art  the  friends  of  Tippu-Tib, 
against  whom  our  wise  men  have  long  warned  us. 
Finish  thy  dastardly  shedding  of  blood.  Kill  me,  and 

go-" 

"We  have  no  desire  to  kill  thee,"  the  headman 
answered,  with  a  smile.  "  Indeed,  thou  shalt  regain 
thy  liberty,  and  thy  wives  shall  be  returned  unto  thee 
if  thou  wilt  disclose  the  hiding-place  of  thine  ivory." 

"  Thou  hast  destroyed  my  people.  See  now  !  Thou 
hast  already  applied  the  fire-brand  unto  my  village  !  " 
he  cried  in  fierce  anger,  shaking  both  his  black  fists. 
"  Go.  May  the  curse  of  the  Evil  Spirit  who  dwelleth 
in  the  darkness  of  the  Great  Forest,  follow  thee  until 
death." 

"  Pick  out  thy  wives,"  the  other  said,  pointing  to  the 
large  group  of  trembling  women  and  children.  "  They 
are  free,  and  likewise  thyself,  but  the  men  of  Tippu- 
Tib  depart  not  hither  until  thou  hast  led  them  unto  the 
place  where  thou  hast  concealed  thy  treasure." 

The  chief's  fierce  black  eyes  flashed  with  angry  fire, 
as,  waving  his  hand  with  a  gesture  of  impatience,  he 
replied,  — 

"  Already  have  I  answered." 

His  four  wives,  however,  watching  the  progress  of 
the  negotiations,  and  overhearing  the  offer  of  Ngal- 
yema,  dashed  forward  and  flung  themselves  before 
their  master,  beseeching  him  to  save  his  own  life  and 
theirs  by  disclosing  the  secret. 


205 

But  he  waved  them  aside  with  regal  gesture,  and 
folded  his  arms  resolutely. 

Then,  one  of  the  women  rose,  and  turning  to  the 
Arab  headman,  said, — 

"  To  save  our  lives  I  will  reveal  the  spot  unto  thee. 
Come,  it  is  but  an  arrow's  flight  distant  !  " 

The  chief  heard  the  words  and  sprang  straight  at 
her  throat,  but  ere  he  could  reach  her  the  Arabs  pulled 
him  down.  She  stood  erect  and  queenly,  a  splendid 
specimen  of  savage  womanhood. 

"  Follow  me,"  she  cried,  wildly,  and  twenty  of  the 
raiders,  myself  included,  sprang  forward  and  accom- 
panied her  a  little  distance  into  the  jungle  until  we 
came  to  a  great  ironwood-tree.  For  a  moment  she 
halted,  with  her  back  towards  it,  apparently  taking 
bearings  by  a  cottonwood-tree  with  silvery  bark,  and 
then,  counting  thirty  paces  in  its  direction,  told  us  to 
search. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  dead  leaves  and  fallen  boughs 
were  cleared,  revealing  a  floor  of  hewn  wood,  and  this 
being  torn  up  the  coveted  treasure,  consisting  of  more 
than  a  hundred  magnificent  tusks,  was  discovered  be- 
neath. 

Shouting  with  glee,  the  raiders  rushed  back  to  their 
leader,  announcing  the  news,  and  triumphantly  drag- 
ging the  chief's  wife  back  with  them.  Her  three  female 
companions  cried  loudly  to  the  headman  to  release 
them,  but  he  only  laughed  brutally,  and  ordered  the 
Arabs  around  him  to  put  them  back  with  the  other 
slaves.  Then,  finding  to  their  dismay  that  the  head- 
man's promise  would  not  be  fulfilled,  the  whole  of  the 
captured  women  made  the  forest  ring  with  howls  of 
execration,  and  heaped  upon  the  raiders  the  most  terri- 
ble curses  their  tongues  could  utter. 

Meanwhile,  the  ivory  was  being  pulled  out  of  its  hid- 


206  Cbe  BBC  of  fstar. 


ing-place,  and  allotted  in  burdens  to  the  slave-carriers. 
The  flames,  now  spreading  from  hut  to  hut,  leaped, 
roared  and  crackled,  and  a  thick  black  smoke  ascended, 
drifting  slowly  over  the  tops  of  the  giant  trees. 

Turning  to  the  proud  chief  of  the  Avejeli,  the  head- 
man, through  the  negro  interpreter,  exclaimed,  — 

"  I  gave  unto  thee  a  chance  to  escape,  but  thou 
wouldst  not  accept  it,  even  though  the  liberty  of  thy 
wives  depended  upon  thy  word." 

"  The  word  of  a  follower  of  Tippu-Tib,  like  water 
fallen  upon  sand,  is  never  to  be  found  again,"  Yakul 
answered. 

Ngalyema  bit  his  lip  in  anger,  and  waving  his  hand 
to  those  around  him,  exclaimed  in  Arabic,  — 

"  Bind  him.     Let  the  son  of  offal  die  !  " 

In  a  trice  cords  were  slipped  around  the  ankles, 
wrists  and  neck  of  the  unfortunate  wretch  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  render  him  utterly  powerless.  Then  the 
Arabs  asked,  — 

"  Speak,  O  leader,  in  what  manner  shall  the  pagan's 
life  be  taken  ?" 

"  Take  him  yonder  into  the  forest,  and  find  a  nest  of 
red  ants  at  the  foot  of  a  tree.  There  bind  him,  smear 
upon  him  some  plantain  juice,  and  let  the  insects  de- 
vour him." 

"  Thou  hast  spoken  well,  O  leader  !  "  the  brigands 
cried,  exultingly,  and  before  he  could  realize  the  horri- 
ble fate  that  awaited  him,  the  unfortunate  chief,  whose 
only  offence  was  the  strenuous  and  gallant  defence  of 
his  home  and  his  people,  was  hurried  away  into  the 
jungle  by  the  joyful  rabble. 

The  shouting  of  the  men  executing  the  brutal  Ngal- 
yema's  orders  could  be  heard  away  in  the  forest,  while 
the  remainder  of  the  bandits  proceeded  with  their  work 
of  relentless  destruction.  Not  content  with  levelling 


•flgalgema.  207 

the  villages  to  ashes,  they  cut  down  the  plantain  grove, 
trampled  down  the  corn,  and  destroyed  the  manioc, 
afterwards  refreshing  themselves  with  draughts  from  a 
trough  of  banana  wine  found  in  the  village. 

When  the  party  returned  from  securing  the  chief  in 
a  position  where  he  would  be  quickly  eaten  alive  by  the 
pests  of  the  forest,  the  whole  of  the  fighting-men  re- 
assembled, apparently  beside  themselves  with  delight 
at  the  complete  mastery  they  had  obtained  over  the 
savages.  Piteous  appeal  availed  the  unfortunate  slaves 
nothing.  They  were  beaten,  cuffed  and  tied  together 
— two  who  attempted  to  escape,  including  the  chief's 
wife  who  had  divulged  the  whereabouts  of  the  ivory, 
being  shot  dead,  and  their  bodies  kicked  ruthlessly 
aside. 

At  length  the  raiders,  headed  by  one  of  the  captured 
women,  who  was  promised  her  liberty  if  she  would  act 
as  their  guide,  moved  forward  along  a  narrow  track 
leading  into  the  depths  of  the  forest,  enriched  by  one 
hundred  and  thirty  tusks,  and  nearly  two  hundred 
slaves. 

As  the  men  marched, onward,  goading  on  the  slaves 
with  revolting  brutality,  I  lingered  behind  for  a  mo- 
ment to  pick  up  a  curiously-shaped  axe  that  had  ap- 
parently been  forgotten.  As  I  did  so  a  loud,  despairing 
shriek  fell  upon  my  ear. 

I  glanced  around.  The  last  of  the  rear  guard  of 
Tippu-Tib's  brigands  had  disappeared  along  the  dark 
track.  I  remembered  that  the  register  of  the  actions 
of  the  righteous  is  in  Illiyyun,  the  book  distinctly 
written:  those  who  approach  near  unto  Allah  being 
witnesses  thereto. 

Again  the  piercing  shriek  was  repeated,  and  I  knew 
that  the  unfortunate  wretch,  bound  to  a  tree,  was 
being  tortured  to  death,  and  literally  devoured  by  a 


2o8  Cbe  BBC  of  Istar. 


myriad  insects.  The  injustice  of  his  sentence  caused 
me  to  hesitate,  and  a  second  later  I  resolved  to  release 
him. 

I  had  but  a  few  moments  in  which  to  accomplish  it, 
for  I  well  knew  that,  if  discovered,  my  own  life  might 
be  taken  by  the  wild,  bloodthirsty  horde,  who  were 
indeed  companions  of  the  left  hand,  whom  Allah  had 
cut  off,  and  over  whom  was  the  arched  fire.  Neverthe- 
less, I  dashed  into  the  jungle,  axe  in  hand,  and  guided 
by  the  condemned  man's  cries,  found  him  lashed 
tightly  to  a  tree,  and  already  covered  from  head  to 
foot  by  the  pests. 

In  an  instant  my  axe  severed  his  bonds  and  he 
sprang  forward,  and  falling  upon  his  knees,  gratefully 
kissed  my  feet,  uttering  many  words  of  thanks  which  I 
could  not  understand. 

But  I  had  not  a  moment  to  linger,  therefore  I  gave 
him  "  peace,"  and  speeding  back  again  to  the  smoulder- 
ing ashes  of  the  village,  plunged  into  the  forest  depths 
down  the  dark,  narrow  path  my  merciless  companions, 
the  ivory-raiders,  had  taken. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

PIGMIES    OF    THE    FOREST. 

ON  every  hand  on  their  march  eastward  my  com- 
panions spread  destruction  and  death.  The  raiders' 
track  was  marked  by  blood  and  ashes,  for  almost 
daily  they  shot  down  natives,  burned  villages,  and 
added  to  the  number  of  their  slaves. 

The  horrors  of  that  journey  through  the  eternal 
gloom  were  endless,  and  the  many  cruelties  and  butch- 


pigmies  of  tbe  jfotest.  209 

cries  perpetrated  in  cold  blood  sufficient  to  send  a 
thrill  of  horror  through  the  most  callous  heart. 
Through  all  my  varied  experience  with  the  hordes  of 
the  Mahdi  and  the  Khalifa,  I  had  never  witnessed 
such  scenes  of  fiendish  brutality.  Tiamo,  whose  sav- 
age nature  had  at  first  rejoiced  in  being  one  of  this 
lawless  band,  was  soon  sickened,  and  often  shuddered 
and  expressed  disgust. 

Yet  through  all  I  had  one  goal  in  view,  one  object 
to  attain — the  discovery  of  the  mystic  spot  where  the 
Secret  of  the  Asps  might  be  revealed.  The  dreams 
that  waved  before  my  half-shut  eyes  were  ever  of 
Azala.  Ever  uppermost  in  my  mind  was  the  thought 
of  her  imprisoned  in  that  great  palace,  surrounded  by 
every  gorgeous  luxury,  yet  not  allowed  to  participate, 
and  patiently  awaiting  my  return.  Each  day,  when 
darkness  set  in,  I  thought  of  her  opening  her  lattice, 
praying  for  Allah's  favor  and  breathing  words  of  love 
to  be  borne  afar  to  me  upon  the  sunset  wind.  When 
should  we  again  meet,  I  wondered.  Perhaps  never. 

But  the  story  of  my  strange  journey,  stranger  than 
man  had  ever  before  undertaken,  slips  away  from  me 
as  I  think  of  her. 

The  notches  on  Tiamo's  gun,  which  he  fortunately 
recovered  before  leaving  Avisibba,  showed  that  the 
day  arranged  for  the  attack  upon  Kano  by  the  Der- 
vishes had  long  passed,  for  already  we  had  been  ab- 
sent five  moons.  If  Ayesha  had  not  delivered  my 
warning,  or  if  the  Sultan  had  disregarded  it,  then  the 
Empire  of  Sokoto  was  doomed.  Of  what  dire  conse- 
quences would  result  from  the  non-delivery  of  my 
hastily-scrawled  message  I  feared  to  contemplate,  for 
I  knew  that  if  the  Ansar  entered  Kano,  the  woman  I 
loved  would  most  certainly  be  seized  and  carried  away 
to  grace  the  harem  of  the  brutal  Ruler  of  the  Soudan, 


of  Istar. 

But,  trusting  to  the  guidance  of  the  One  Guide,  I 
strove  to  assure  myself  of  her  safety,  and  with  a  stout 
heart  pushed  forward,  determined  to  overcome  every 
obstacle  that  beset  my  path.  Bitten  and  stung  by 
numberless  tribes  of  insects,  including  a  beetle  so 
small  that  it  could  not  be  detected  with  the  naked  eye, 
but  which  burrowed  deeply  into  the  flesh,  producing 
most  painful  sores  ;  continually  on  the  alert  against 
the  many  green,  gold  and  black  snakes,  puff-adders, 
pythons  and  other  deadly  reptiles,  we  went  forward, 
week  by  week,  until  the  wretched  slaves,  half-starved 
and  brutally  ill-used,  became  mere  shrunken  skeletons 
of  their  former  selves,  disfigured  by  terrible  ulcers 
caused  by  the  insects,  while  the  fighting-men  them- 
selves became  lean,  pale  and  weakened.  Through  a 
suffocating  wilderness  of  arums,  amoma  and  bush,  over 
damp  ground  that  exuded  foetid,  poisonous  vapors, 
we  struggled  onward,  until  one  day  we  were  startled  to 
hear  on  before  us  the  sound  of  muskets,  loud,  wild 
shouting,  and  the  violent  beating  of  tam-tams. 

Ngalyema  and  his  men  halted  quickly  to  listen.  The 
sounds  approached. 

"  Thank  Allah  !  "  the  headman  cried  in  delight  when, 
in  a  few  moments,  a  strange,  half-bred  Arab  pushed  his 
way  toward  us,  giving  us  loud  and  profuse  greetings. 
"  Our  guides  have  not  deceived  us.  We  are  at  last  at 
Kalunga  !  " 

Pushing  forward,  our  scouts  had  apprised  the  raiders' 
settlement  of  our  approach,  and  the  wildest  excitement 
at  once  prevailed.  My  companions,  with  one  accord 
dashed  onward,  and  on  accompanying  them  I  found 
myself  in  a  great,  open  clearing  around  a  strong  stock- 
ade, within  which  stood  a  number  of  well-constructed 
huts.  Here,  once  again,  after  a  perpetual  gloom  last- 
ing nine  weeks,  we  saw  the  blessed  light  of  day,  the 


BMgmtes  of  tbe  fforest.  211 

cloudless  sky  and  the  brilliant  sun,  and  breathed  the 
pure  air  laden  with  the  sweet  perfume  of  many  flowers. 

We  were,  I  discovered,  actually  in  the  country  of  the 
Wambutti  pigmies,  some  of  whom,  sleek  little  people, 
about  the  height  of  a  sword,  and  of  the  color  of  yel- 
low ivory,  I  saw  among  the  Arabs.  Kalunga  was  an 
out-lying  station  established  by  Tippu-Tib's  brigands 
in  order  to  extend  their  raids  deeper  into  the  Forest  of 
Perpetual  Night  ;  and  it  was  Ngalyema  himself,  who,  a 
few  hours  later,  suggested  that  from  the  curious  race 
of  forest-dwellers  in  the  vicinity  I  might  possibly  ob- 
tain knowledge  of  the  whereabouts  of  the  Rock  of  the 
Great  Sin.  He  even  suggested  that  one  or  two  of  his 
own  fighting-men  should  accompany  me  on  my  lonely 
journey  south  in  search  of  the  pigmies,  but  knowing 
that  he  desired  to  obtain  for  himself  knowledge  of  the 
spot,  I  firmly  declined  his  offer,  declaring  that  I  felt 
less  open  to  attack  accompanied  only  by  Tiamo  than  if 
his  slave-raiders  bore  me  company. 

During  two  days  I  remained  at  the  Arab  settlement, 
watching  the  manner  in  which  the  slaves  were  secured 
previous  to  deportation  to  the  headquarters  at  Ipoto, 
on  the  Ituri  river,  forty  days  distant  ;  then,  with  my 
trusty  companion,  El-Sadie,  I  left  the  place  at  dead  of 
night,  in  order  to  escape  Ngalyema's  vigilance,  and 
again  we  plunged  into  the  forest  depths  along  the  nar- 
row, winding,  half-effaced  track  which  had  been  pointed 
out  to  me  as  running  south  to  the  distant  villages  of 
the  mysterious  race  of  dwarfs.  In  that  impenetrable 
darkness  our  progress  was  slow,  but  when  day  dawned 
above,  just  sufficient  light  struggled  through  the  dense 
foliage  to  enable  us  to  pursue  our  way.  It  was  a 
lonely  journey,  full  of  terrors  and  anxieties,  for  were 
we  not  approaching  the  tribe,  of  all  the  people  in  the 
Forest  of  Night  the  most  hostile  ? 


212  Gbe  Bse  of  flstar. 


Ever  on  the  alert  lest  we  should  receive  the  poisoned 
shaft  of  some  hidden  dwarf  of  the  woods,  or  tread 
upon  a  poisoned  skewer,  we  struggled  .still  onward. 
Day  succeeded  day  until  we  kept  no  count  of  them. 
Tiamo,  who  had  borne  the  fatigues  of  our  long  journey 
without  a  murmur,  and  bravely  faced  the  perils  to 
which  we  had  continuously  been  exposed,  now  appeared 
to  have  grown  despairing  and  gloomy.  The  eternal 
twilight  was  certainly  not  conducive  to  high  spirits, 
but  my  dwarf  companion  seemed  overwhelmed  by 
some  strange  precursor  of  evil. 

As  deeper  into  the  forest  we  penetrated,  food  be- 
came scarcer,  and  hunger  consumed  us  daily.  We 
were  subsisting  on  wood-beans,  occasional  plantains, 
bananas  and  some  wild  fruit,  but  as  not  a  gleam  of 
sunshine  gladdened  our  eyes,  or  breath  of  pure  air 
refreshed  us,  it  was  scarcely  surprising  that  my  slave 
should  give  vent  to  his  innermost  thoughts.  '  One 
morning,  in  the  dim,  gray  hour  when  things  were  just 
creeping  out  of  darkness  and  everything  was  colorless 
and  unreal,  he  appeared  unusually  gloomy,  and  when  I 
inquired  the  cause,  answered,  — 

"  In  the  night,  O  master,  I  had  a  dream.  The  future 
was  revealed  unto  me,"  and  he  shuddered  perceptibly. 
"Verily,  I  believe  that  our  quest  is  futile  ;  that  death 
is  nigh  unto  us.  I  have  a  presentiment  that  the  eyes 
of  the  beauteous  Lalla  Azala  will  never  again  be  glad- 
dened by  sight  of  thee,  and  that  mine  own  bones  also 
will  be  stripped  by  the  scavengers  of  the  forest." 

"  Let  not  such  gloomy  apprehensions  find  a  dwelling- 
place  within  thee,  Tiamo,"  I  answered,  forcing  a  smile. 
"  Relinquish  not  thy  brave  bearing.  For  aught  we 
know  we  are,  even  at  this  moment,  on  the  point  of  a 
discovery." 

"  The  men  of  Tippu-Tib  assured  me  that  the  dwarfs 


.   Pigmies  of  tbe  ^forest.  213 

/ 
of  the  Wambutti  resent  the  intrusion  of  strangers,  and 

murder  those  who  dare  approach  them  except  in  force," 
he  exclaimed,  gloomily. 

"  Did  we  not  set  forth  to  seek  the  Rock  of  the  Great 
Sin,  and  didst  thou  not  express  thy  readiness  to  accom- 
pany me  whithersoever  I  went  ? "  I  asked. 

"  I  did,  O  master,"  he  answered.  "  But  I  knew  not 
that  we  should  seek  to  penetrate  the  country  of  the 
man-eaters." 

"  Allah, — may  he  be  glorified  ! — counteth  them  as 
flies,  but  extendeth  unto  us  his  guidance  and  protec- 
tion," I  said.  "  Put  thy  faith  in  the  One  Guide,  and 
he  will  comfort  and  preserve  thee." 

Mumbling  some  mystic  words  in  his  own  tongue,  the 
meaning  of  which  I  knew  not,  he  fumbled  with  his 
amulets  and  raised  his  open  hand  above  his  head,  as  if 
imploring  the  protection  of  his  pagan  gods.  Then, 
rising  to  his  feet,  and  with  a  look  of  renewed  energy, 
he  exclaimed, — 

"  Of  a  verity  thy  lips  utter  the  truth.  We  may  be 
even  now  near  unto  the  shore  of  the  Lake  of  the 
Accursed,  and  upon  the  verge  of  discovering  that 
which  is  weirdly  mysterious  and  unknown.  I  will 
abandon  fear  and  continue  to  seek  with  diligence  for 
that  of  which  we  are  in  quest." 

"  We  have  both  promised,"  I  said,  solemnly.  "  We 
have  travelled  afar,  and  are  but  fulfilling  our  duty  to- 
wards the  Lalla  Azala,  thy  mistress." 

"True,  O  master,"  he  said.  "Pearls  of  wisdom  fall 
ever  from  thy  lips  as  rain  upon  a  thirsty  land.  I  am 
ready.  Let  us  move  forward." 

At  the  bidding  of  my  ape-like  companion  I  rose,  and 
again  we  started  along  the  disused  track,  rendered 
almost  impassable  by  trailing  creepers,  vines,  and  thick 
undergrowth.  During  that  day  we  struggled  forward, 


214  Gbe  £ge  of  1F0tar. 

passing  through  a  village  that  had  apparently  been 
burned  by  the  Arabs  some  months  before,  and,  con- 
tinuing our  way  still  southward,  we  entered  a  path  that 
had  been  so  widened  by  elephants  that  we  could  walk 
side  by  side  and  converse,  when  suddenly,  without 
warning,  the  earth  beneath  us  gave  way  and  we  were 
both  precipitated  headlong  into  a  deep  pit  that  had 
been  artfully  concealed  by  leaves,  twigs,  and  a  thin 
layer  of  earth.  My  knee  was  bruised  severely,  but  in 
a  moment  I  struggled  to  my  feet  to  gaze  around.  I 
raved  to  and  fro,  screaming  and  crying  upon  Allah 
and  Eblis,  for  I  was  dismayed  to  discover  that  the  pit 
had  been  dug  so  deeply,  with  sides  slanting  inwards, 
that  to  escape  was  utterly  impossible. 

We  had  been  caught  by  one  of  the  elephant-traps,  in 
the  arrangement  of  which  the  pigmies  display  so  much 
ingenuity  and  cunning.  We  had  fallen  into  an  abyss  of 
doom. 

"  Alas,  O  master  !  this  misfortune  hath  shackled  our 
footsteps  !  "  the  dwarf  exclaimed,  rubbing  his  abnor- 
mally large  woolly  head  where  he  had  struck  it.  "I 
dreamed  that  we  were  dying." 

No  word  passed  my  lips.  In  vain  I  searched  fran- 
tically for  some  mode  of  escape,  but  could  discover 
none.  My  companion's  words,  were,  alas  !  too  true  ! 
We  had  nothing  left,  but  misery  !  The  heart  of  night, 
and  the  forest's  heart  were  tranquil  in  primordial 
silence.  The  mishap  was  worse  than  a  misfortune,  for 
it  meant  either  capture  by  the  malicious  little  denizens 
of  that  weird  realm  of  perpetual  darkness,  or  a  linger- 
ing death  from  starvation. 

To  endeavor  to  reach  the  surface,  I  mounted  the 
dwarf  upon  my  shoulders,  but  my  heart  sank  when  I 
saw  that  the  point  to  which  he  could  stretch  his  hands 
was  still  fully  a  spear's  length  below  the  ground.  Had 


pigmies  of  tbe  fforest.  215 

he  been  a  full-grown  man  and  not  of  dwarfed  stature, 
it  was  possible  that  we  might  have  escaped  by  this 
means,  but  all  schemes  that  we  devised  proved  im- 
practicable, and  we  were  compelled  to  walk  backwards 
and  forwards  within  the  dark,  deep  hole,  awaiting  the 
arrival  of  our  exulting  captors,  who  would,  no  doubt, 
believe  that  in  me,  an  Arab,  they  had  caught  one  of 
their  arch  enemies — the  raiders  of  Tippu-Tib. 

The  gloom  grew  deeper,  the  birds  far  above  ceased 
their  chattering,  a  fact  which  told  us  that  it  was  the 
hour  of  the  maghrib,  when,  suddenly  in  the  silence,  we 
heard  leaves  rustling,  and  twigs  broken  as  by  footsteps. 

Next  second,  a  black  head  appeared,  cautiously  lean- 
ing over  the  pit  looking  down  upon  us,  and  a  voice  ut- 
tered a  loud  cry  in  a  language  neither  of  us  knew. 

My  heart  leaped,  and  beat  quickly. 

The  savage's  face  seemed  to  smile  in  mockery  of  my 
dismay  ;  his  scream  of  delight  was  the  death  knell  of 
all  my  hopes,  and,  as  the  sinister  head  was  withdrawn, 
I  stood  breathless,  unarmed,  wondering  in  what  form 
death  would  come  to  us,  and  praying  to  Allah  that  we 
might  die  swiftly  and  painlessly,  for  I  dreaded  the  hor- 
rible, revolting  tortures  I  had  so  frequently  witnessed. 

I  remembered  it  was  the  hour  when  Azala,  in  the 
far-off  city  of  the  Sultan,  was  wafting  to  me,  from  her 
high  lattice,  a  fervent  message  of  comfort,  of  peace 
and  of  love.  There  came  before  me  the  pale  image  of 
those  hours  of  enchantment.  Upon  the  successful  ac- 
complishment of  my  strange  mission  depended  all  our 
future,  all  our  happiness.  I  struggled  to  look  the  cir- 
cumstances fairly  in  the  face,  to  see  the  folly  of  my 
wild  frenzy,  and  to  reason  with  myself. 

But  a  profound  sense  of  loneliness,  helplessness  and 
despair  had  settled  upon  me.  I  became  seized  by  an 
excessive  dread. 


216  Gbe  JE^e  of  flstar. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

FACING    MALEC. 

ABOVE,  in  the  dimness,  there  moved  again  a  gro- 
tesque, spectral  shadow.  The  savage  was  peering  into 
the  pit,  but  it  occurred  to  me  that  he  was  unable  to 
distinguish  us  in  that  rayless  obscurity. 

He  shouted  in  a  hoarse  voice,  and  I  saw  that  in  his 
hand  he  carried  a  long  spear.  Neither  of  us  replied  or 
moved  a  muscle.  We  watched  in  silence,  waiting  with 
drawn  breath.  Everything,  except  the  hole  above 
where  the  unkempt  head  showed  as  a  round,  black 
projection,  was  profoundly  dark,  and  when  I  looked  up 
again  it  had  disappeared.  A  deep  stillness  fell,  broken 
only  by  the  distant  trumpeting  of  an  elephant  ;  then 
suddenly  we  heard  a  noise  like  the  breaking  of  sticks 
and  the  tearing  of  foliage.  With  our  eyes  riveted  upon 
the  hole  through  which  we  had  fallen,  we  were,  a  few 
minutes  later,  startled  by  the  appearance  of  a  curious 
glare,  as  if  a  fire  had  been  lighted,  and  suddenly  the 
black  denizen  of  the  forest  appeared  at  the  hole,  hold- 
ing above  his  head  a  roughly-made  torch.  Its  fickle 
light  shone  down  upon  us,  but  at  the  same  time  il- 
lumined the  black,  savage  face  of  the  man  who  held  it. 

Involuntarily  I  gave  vent  to  a  loud  ejaculation  of 
surprise.  In  an  instant  I  recognized  the  sable  features. 
The  man  who  had  discovered  us  was  none  other  than 
Yakul,  the  fearless  chief  of  the  Avejeli,  whom  I  had 
rescued  from  death  ! 

"  Peace,  O  friend  !  "  I  cried  excitedly  in  Arabic,  re- 
membering that  although  he  had  been  questioned  by 
Ngalyema  in  the  Monvu  tongue,  yet  he  nevertheless 
understood  the  language  of  the  Desert. 


ffadng  flfcalec.  217 

"  See  !  "  shouted  the  dwarf,  in  despair,  unaware  that 
I  had  released  him  from  his  tortures.  "  See !  It  is 
the  chieftain  that  the  raiders  condemned  to  die.  He 
will  assuredly  seek  revenge  upon  us  !  " 

I  saw  him,  and  even  through  the  mask  of  my  mad- 
ness I  knew  him  again,  and  terror  took  hold  of  me. 
But  our  anxious  apprehensions  were  in  an  instant  dis- 
pelled, for  Yakul,  recognizing  me,  waved  his  torch, 
shouting  in  very  indifferent  Arabic, — 

"  Nay,  do  not  be  surprised,  O  my  rescuer  !  Truly 
am  I  thy  friend.  Be  patient,  and  ere  long  thou  shalt 
both  escape." 

And  as  the  weird,  black  figure  uttered  these  reassur- 
ing words  in  a  shrill  tone,  he  placed  the  torch  upon 
the  ground  and  left.  Reappearing  in  a  few  moments, 
he  shouted,  and  commenced  to  lower  a  long  wreath  of 
climbing  plant  that  he  had  cut  from  a  tree,  and  when 
he  had  secured  the  end  to  a  neighboring  trunk  he  bade 
us  ascend  with  care. 

Thankful  for  this  sudden  and  unexpected  deliver^ 
ance,  Tiamo  clambered  up  first,  and  I  followed,  find- 
ing myself  a  few  minutes  later  standing  beside  my 
pagan  ally,  expressing  fervent  thanks  for  our  timely 
rescue. 

"  If  thou  hadst  not  severed  my  bonds,  the  scavengers 
of  the  forest  would  long  ago  have  cleaned  my  bones," 
the  tall,  keen-eyed  savage  answered,  leaning  upon  his 
spear.  The  fine  goatskin  he  had  worn  as  a  mark  of 
chieftainship  had  been  replaced  by  a  strip  of  common 
bark-cloth,  and  he  no  longer  wore  his  curiously-shaped 
helmet,  with  its  swaling  plume.  His  village  had  been 
burned  by  the  fiendish  brigands  of  Tippu-Tib,  nearly 
all  his  people  had  been  murdered  or  enslaved,  his 
treasure-stolen,  and  he  was  now  a  homeless  wanderer. 

Briefly  I  explained  to  him  the  accident  that  had  be- 


218  Gbe  Bse  of  ftetar. 


fallen  us,  at  the  same  time  expressing  a  fear  that  the 
pigmies  might  discover  us. 

"  Fear  not  that,"  he  answered.  "  I  have  ever  been  an 
ally  of  the  dwarfed  people  of  the  Wambutti,  and  in  my 
company  not  a  hair  of  thine  head  shall  be  injured." 

"  Art  thou  on  thy  way  to  them  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"Yea,  and  nay,"  he  answered.  "Since  thou  didst 
release  me,  I  have  followed  closely  thy  footprints." 

"  Followed  me  !  "  I  echoed,  remembering  how  many 
days  he  must  have  journeyed. 

"  Since  the  raid  of  the  destroyers  I  have  been  ever 
behind  thee,  and  have  ofttimes  watched  thee  and  thy 
companion  unnoticed." 

"  For  what  reason  hast  thx>u  sought  to  thus  keep  ob- 
servation upon  me  ?  "  I  asked,  puzzled.  The  small 
fire  he  had  lit  still  threw  a  faint  glow,  sufficient  to  re- 
veal his  dark  and  not  unhandsome  face,  and  Tiamo 
stood  by,  speechless  and  wondering. 

"  I  desired  to  ascertain  that  thou  wert  journeying 
along  the  right  path,"  the  chief  replied,  mysteriously. 

"  The  right  path  ?    What  meanest  thou  ?  " 

"  An  Arab  dareth  not  to  journey  with  one  slave 
through  the  Kivira,  unless  he  hath  some  definite  object 
in  view,"  he  said,  with  a  low,  rather  harsh  laugh.  "  At 
risk  of  thy  life  thou  didst  release  me  from  a  certain 
and  horrible  death,  and  in  return  I  have  secretly 
watched  thy  progress  towards  thy  goal." 

"My  goal!"  I  cried.  "What  knowest  thou  of  my 
goal  ?  " 

"  Already  have  I  told  thee  that,  since  my  rescue,  I 
have  been  as  thy  shadow.  I  followed  thjee  to  Kalunga, 
and  there  overheard  thy  conversation  with  the  brutal 
headman  Ngalyema,  in  which  thou  didst  tell  him  of  thy 
search,  and  he,  with  consummate  craftiness,  offered  to 
send  his  armed  men  with  thee.  As  I  lay  hidden,  I 


facing  flfcalec.  219 

heard  thee  tell  him  of  thine  anxiety  to  reach  the  Rock 
of  the  Great  Sin,  because  upon  the  success  of  thy 
mission  depended  the  happiness  of  the  woman  thou 
lovest.  My  life  was  in  thine  hand  ;  therefore  I  deter- 
mined at  once  to  assist  thee." 

"  To  assist  me  !  "  I  exclaimed,  breathlessly.  "  Know- 
est  thou  where  the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin  is  situated  ? " 

"  I  do,  O  my  friend,"  he  answered  solemnly,  still 
leaning  upon  his  spear,  with  the  other  hand  resting 
upon  his  hip. 

"  And  canst  thou  direct  us  thither?" 

"  In  order  to  accompany  thee  unto  the  rock,  I 
dogged  thy  footsteps,  determined  not  to  make  my 
presence  known  if  thou  couldst  obtain  from  others  the 
information  thou  seekest.  Until  sunrise  to-day  thou 
didst  travel  in  the  direction  of  the  abode  of  evil,  but 
after  last  night's  sleep  thou  didst  turn  off  from  the 
right  track,  and  hence  I  found  it  imperative  to  make 
my  presence  known  and  give  thee  warning,  so  that 
thou  mayest  turn  back  and  again  strike  the  right  path. 
In  consequence,  I  sped  forward,  expecting  to  find  thee 
settling  down  for  the  night,  but  instead  I  discovered 
thou  hadst  fallen  headlong  into  a  trap  set  for  elephants. 
Thou  hast  been,  however,  extricated " 

"  Thanks  to  thee,"  I  interrupted,  laughing.  But  he 
continued, — 

"  Extricated  by  one  whose  life  thou  hast  saved  for  no 
other  reason  than  because  the  condemnation  was  un- 
just," and  he  paused.  Then,  looking  round,  he  added, 
"  Come,  let  us  be  seated  at  yon  fire  ;  let  us  eat  and  sleep 
that  we  may  be  refreshed  for  to-morrow's  journey." 

AH  three  of  us  walked  to  the  fire,  and  seating  our- 
selves, the  pagan  chief  produced  some  ripe  bananas 
and  some  wild  fruit,  which  we  ate  ravenously  while  he 
chattered  on  unceasingly. 


220  ttbe  fige  of  f  star. 

"  Have  thine  eyes  ever  gazed  upon  the  Rock  of  the 
Great  Sin  ? "  I  asked  presently,  when  he  had  described 
how  he  had  followed  the  men  of  Tippu-Tib  for  many 
days  at  imminent  risk  of  detection. 

"  Yes.  Once,  years  ago,  I  gazed  upon  it  from  afar, 
but  dared  not  to  approach  it." 

"Why?"  I  inquired. 

"  Of  a  verity  the  spot  is  sacred.  He  who  endeavor- 
eth  to  ascertain  its  secret,  will  assuredly  be  smitten  by 
a  terrible  pestilence — the  hand  of  the  Evil  One  who 
dwelleth  therein,  will  strike  swiftly,  and  the  adventur- 
ous investigator  will  wither  like  a  rootless  flower  be- 
neath the  sun." 

Tiamo,  silent,  with  eyes  opened  wide,  hugged  his 
knees  and  drank  in  every  word  Yakul  uttered.  My 
curiosity  was  also  thoroughly  aroused,  and  I  urged  the 
chief  to  relate  to  me  all  he  knew  regarding  the  strange, 
unexplored  spot.  Its  mystery  had  been  deepened  by 
each  superstition  or  legend  I  had  heard  regarding  it, 
yet  it  was  curious  that  nearly  every  popular  belief  as- 
serted that  some  strange  deity  of  good  or  evil  dwelt 
therein,  or  in  its  vicinity.  But  at  length  I  had  now 
discovered  one  who  had  actually  gazed  upon  it  with 
his  own  eyes,  and  knew  the  way  thither.  There  was 
no  longer  doubt  of  its  reality ;  it  actually  existed,  ris- 
ing lonely  and  solitary  from  the  dark  waters  of  the 
Lake  of  the  Accursed,  just  as  it  had  been  mirrored  in 
the  heavens. 

For  the  first  time  during  our  long  and  fatiguing 
search,  sometimes  across  great  tracts  of  virgin  forest 
wherein  man  had  never  before  set  foot,  we  now  at  last 
heard  it  described  minutely  from  the  lips  of  an  eye- 
witness. Eager  and  elated,  we  both  felt  that  we  were 
on  the  point  of  a  discovery,  and  were  prepared  to  risk 
the  strange  pestilence  so  dreaded  by  the  pagans  and 


facing  flfcalec.  221 

the  touch  of  the  unseen  evil  hand,  in  order  to  explore 
the  dark  and  gloomy  crag,  where  it  had  been  asserted 
by  Azala  the  Mystery  of  the  Asps  remained  hidden. 

Yakul,  as  he  munched  his  bananas,  told  us  how,  eight 
years  before,  when  assisting  the  lyuku  and  Indebeya 
peoples  against  the  Manuyema,  there  had  been  severe 
fighting,  and  with  his  warriors  he  had  followed  a  host 
of  the  invaders  south  through  an  unknown  part  of  the 
Great  Forest,  until  at  length  he  had  driven  the  enemy 
into  a  natuaal  trap,  for,  on  account  of  the  Lake  of  the 
Accursed  and  the  range  of  inaccessible  mountains  be- 
yond, they  were  unable  to  retreat  further,  and  being 
compelled  to  again  fight,  they  were  completely  wiped 
out  by  the  Avejeli. 

During  the  battle  in  that  little-known  region  he  dis- 
covered they  were  within  actual  sight  of  the  Rock  of 
the  Great  Sin,  but  of  the  whole  of  his  brave  warriors 
not  a  man  dared  to  venture  nearer  on  account  of  the 
declarations  of  their  wise  men,  that  if  any  attempted 
to  approach  the  forbidden  spot  a  terrible  pestilence 
and  total  destruction  would  inevitably  fall  upon  the 
tribe.  In  consequence  of  this  he  had  stood  afar  off 
and  viewed  the  rock  and  the  unknown  and  unap- 
proachable land  beyond,  fearing  lest,  by  going  nearer, 
he  should  invoke  the  wrath  of  his  pagan  gods,  or  cause 
revolt  among  his  warriors,  who  had  become  cowed  and 
terrified  at  discovering  themselves  in  the  shadow  of 
the  dark  rock,  which  was  the  seat  of  the  dreaded  Evil 
Spirit  of  the  Kivira. 

While  within  sight  of  the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin, 
they  declared  the  air  was  deadly.  They  began  to 
suffer  from  joint  aches,  he  told  us  ;  their  knees  were 
stiff,  and  pains  travelled  through  their  bodies,  causing 
them  to  shiver  and  their  teeth  to  chatter,  after  which 
their  heads  would  burn  and  the  hot  sweat  would  pour 


222  Cbe  EEC  of  flstar. 


from  them,  so  that  they  knew  no  rest.  During  the 
two  days  they  remained  there  life  was  but  one  con- 
tinuous ague,  and  they  left  the  country  declaring  it  to 
be  bewitched. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

A   PROPHECY. 

"FEAREST  thou'to  return  ?"  I  asked  the  chief  of  the 
Avejeli,  when  he  had  concluded  his  interesting  de- 
scription of  the  overthrow  of  the  Manuyema. 

"  If  thou  desirest  me  to  bear  thee  company,  I  will 
guide  thee  until  thine  eyes  can  discern  the  black  rock, 
and  the  poisonous  waters  surrounding  it,"  he  answered. 
"Then,  if  thou  art  fully  determined  to  approach  it,  I 
will  remain  until  thou  returnest." 

"  I  cannot  sufficiently  thank  thee  for  thy  promise,  O 
friend,"  I  answered.  "For  many  moons  have  I  wan- 
dered with  my  slave,  over  the  desert  and  through  the 
endless  and  terrible  Kivira,  in  search  of  some  one  who 
could  direct  me  unto  the  spot  I  seek.  Now  that  thou 
hast  given  me  thy  promise  to  conduct  me  thither,  thou 
hast  of  a  verity  revived  my  hopes  with  the  refreshing 
shower  of  thy  good  favor." 

"Are  we  not  friends?"  Yakul  asked.  "Already 
thou  hast  shown,  in  manner  plain,  a  boundless  gener- 
osity towards  me  ;  therefore  gladly  will  I  conduct 
thee  to  the  sacred  place  thou  seekest." 

"  Indeed  thou  art  my  friend.  May  the  most  perfect 
peace  ever  rest  upon  thee,  and  may  wisdom  always  dis- 
tinguish thee  above  thy  fellows,"  I  answered,  adding, 
"  Thou  hast  spoken  of  the  rock  as  the  seat  of  the  Evil 


&  ipropbecg.  223 

Spirit  of  the  Forest.  Tell  me,  why  do  thy  people  of 
the  Avejeli  regard  it  as  sacred  ?  " 

"  Because,  beyond  the  rock  is  an  inaccessible  and 
mysterious  tableland  which  none  have  ever  gained. 
Some  believe  it  to  be  a  country  filled  to  overflowing 
with  bananas,  yams,  manioc,  corn,  honey  and  fruit,  and 
peopled  by  a  strange  race  of  monkeys,  who  live  in  huts 
like  ourselves,  and  are  armed  with  bows  and  spears. 
Others  declare  that  the  plateau,  though  covered  with 
grass  at  the  edge,  where  visible,  is  nevertheless  a  glar- 
ing, barren,  and  uninhabited  wilderness  of  endless  ex- 
tent." 

"  And  what  is  the  name  of  this  unknown  country  ?" 
I  asked,  curious  to  know  whether  the  pagan  tribes  en- 
tertained a  belief  similar  to  ours. 

"  It  is  called  the  Land  of  the  Myriad  Mysteries,  be- 
cause, to  the  dwellers  on  the  edge  of  the  forest,  the 
first  flush  of  dawn  appeareth  always  like  a  mysterious 
blood-red  streak  from  behind  the  rock.  By  our  wise 
men  it  is  said  that  away  there  dwelleth  the  great  Evil 
Spirit,  whose  invisible  myrmidons  lurk  in  the  silent 
depths  of  the  forest,  ever  ready  to  bring  destruction 
and  death  upon  those  they  may  seize." 

"  Believest  thou  that  the  Evil  Spirit  hath  power 
supreme  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Yea,  most  assuredly.  Once,  many  years  ago,  the 
Good  Spirit,  who  dwelleth  in  the  sun,  reigned  supreme 
in  the  Kivira,  until  a  rivalry  arose  between  the  god  of 
Life,  and  the  god  of  Destruction,  and  they  struggled 
fiercely  for  the  mastery.  At  first,  the  Good  Spirit  was 
the  most  powerful,  for  into  the  bright  light  which  he 
shed  the  Evil  One  dared  not  venture.  But  at  length 
the  god  of  Darkness,  with  considerable  ingenuity,  in- 
voked the  aid  of  the  trees  of  the  forest,  and  they, 
obedient  to  him  always,  raised  high  their  spreading 


224  Cbe  £vc  ot  Istar. 


heads,  interlaced  their  giant  branches,  and  shut  out 
the  sun's  light,  thus  allowing  their  master,  the  Evil 
Spirit,  to  obtain  complete  control  of  the  earth.  It  was 
then  that  he  took  up  his  abode  in  the  Land  of  the 
Myriad  Mysteries,  placing  between  his  seat  and  the 
dwelling-place  of  mortals  a  lake,  the  water  of  which 
will,  it  is  said,  poison  arrows  dipped  into  it,  and  a  chain 
of  mountains,  unapproachable  by  reason  of  the  death- 
dealing  odors  exhaled  from  the  swamp  in  the  deep 
valley  at  their  base." 

The  chief  paused,  hugged  his  knees,  and  gazed 
gravely  into  the  dying  embers. 

"  Hath  no  man  ever  been  able  to  penetrate  into  the 
mysterious  abode  ?"  I  asked. 

"  Many  lives  have,  it  is  said,  been  lost  in  foolhardy 
attempts  by  the  curious,"  he  answered,  slowly.  "  None 
has,  however,  successfully  braved  the  wrath  of  the  One 
of  Evil,  who  dealeth  death  with  aim  unerring.  Our 
wise  men  have  said  that  when,  generations  ago,  the 
Evil  Spirit  conquered  his  rival,  entrance  was  gained  to 
his  kingdom  by  a  remarkable  cave  in  the  rock,  and 
that  in  the  cave  there  lived  a  hideous  wild  beast  with 
eight  legs,  whose  tusks  were  each  the  length  of  a  spear, 
whose  claws  were  each  an  arrow's  length,  whose  eyes 
were  like  flaming  brands,  and  whose  breath  was  as  the 
smoke  of  a  camp  fire.  The  god's  attendant  spirits 
were  forbidden  to  pass  beyond  the  zealously-guarded 
portal,  but  one  day  a  spirit,  more  adventurous  than  the 
rest,  managed  to  escape  into  the  abode  of  men.  His 
spiritual  form  enabled  him  to  cross  the  poisoned  waters 
without  a  canoe,  but  as  he  was  passing  rapidly  over  the 
plain  his  absence  was  detected  by  the  god  of  Darkness, 
who,  in  his  wrath,  suddenly  turned  him  into  a  human 
being,  and  doomed  him  to  wander  the  earth  as  an  out- 
cast forever.  He  is  wandering  now,  for  aught  we 


225 

know.  Truly,  the  wrath  of  the  King  of  the  Land  of 
the  Myriad  Mysteries  is  to  be  feared,  and  death  cometh 
swiftly  to  those  who  offer  him  not  offerings  of  flesh, 
and  arouse  his  anger  by  expressing  disbelief  that  he 
ruleth  the  earth." 

"  Then,  according  to  thy  belief,  the  Good  Spirit  is 
powerless  ?  "  I  said. 

"  Yea,  he  hath,  alas !  been  vanquished,  and  the  god 
of  Darkness  holdeth  supreme  sway  over  men,"  he  an- 
swered. "  Among  mine  own  people  I  have  witnessed 
more  than  one  case  where  a  man  expressed  disbelief  in 
the  One  of  Evil  at  dawn,  and  ere  darkness  hath  fallen 
he  has  come  to  a  violent  and  unexpected  end.  The 
punishment  of  the  sceptical  is  always  death." 

"  And  the  dwelling-place  of  the  Ruler  of  the  World 
is  that  high  land,  towards  which,  at  sunrise,  we  shall  be 
pushing  forward  to  discover  ?  "  I  said. 

"  Yea.  But  have  a  care  of  thy  life,  O  friend,"  he 
urged,  in  a  tone  of  consternation.  "  Thou  mayest 
gaze  upon  it  from  afar,  but  to  approach  it  will  be  to 
encompass  thine  own  end." 

"  When  we  reach  within  sight  of  it  I  shall  decide 
how  to  act,"  I  laughed,  amused  at  the  pagan's  appre- 
hensions. "  Strangely  enough  we  have,  in  our  land, 
a  legend  very  similar  to  thine,  which  telleth  how  one 
adventurous  man  escaped  from  the  mysterious  region, 
after  which  the  cave  became  closed  and  all  entrance 
and  egress  barred.  The  mystery  fascinateth  me,  and 
I  am  determined  at  all  hazards  to  seek  its  solution." 

"  Dost  thou  think  thou  wilt  succeed  where  valiant 
men  for  ages  past  have  failed  ?  "  he  asked,  in  a  tone  of 
reproach. 

"  I  may  fail  also,"  I  said.  "  If  thou  wilt  lead  me 
thither,  I  will  make  at  least  an  effort." 

The  black  chief  did   not  reply,  but  sat  silent   and 


226  Gbe  ;ege  of  Ustar. 

motionless,  still  hugging  his  knees,  and  gazing  with 
thoughtful,  heavy  expression  into  the  fire.  Perhaps  he 
was  trying  to  devise  some  scheme  whereby  I  might  be 
deterred  from  committing  an  act  which  he  considered 
sheer  folly.  But  I  was  determined  to  keep  the  promise 
I  had  made  to  Azala,  and  seek  some  explanation  of  the 
mystic  marks  upon  our  breasts.  It  was  strange  that 
every  tribe — followers  of  the  Prophet  and  pagans  alike 
— possessed  some  curious  legend  regarding  the  unap- 
proachable country  ;  strange,  also,  that  so  many  of  the 
quaint  beliefs  coincided  in  two  facts  ;  namely,  the 
escape  of  an  adventurous  spirit  and  the  subsequent 
disappearance  of  the  cavern.  These  legends  had  ap- 
parently been  handed  down  through  so  many  ages  that 
they  had  now  become  bound  up  in  the  quaint  and 
simple  religious  belief  of  the  pagans,  proving  the  great 
antiquity  of  the  original  incident  or  story  upon  which 
they  were  founded. 

That  some  extraordinary  mystery  was  therein  hid- 
den, I  felt  instinctively,  and  longed  for  the  days  to 
pass  in  order  to  stand  before  the  gigantic  rock  and  ex- 
amine it  closely.  Tiamo,  much  impressed  by  what 
Yakul  had  said,  was  likewise  eager  to  view  the  spot  ; 
but  the  chief's  declaration  that  it  was  the  dwelling- 
place  of  the  Evil  Spirit  caused  him  considerable  per- 
turbation, for,  as  a  pagan  himself,  he  believed  implicitly 
in  the  existence  of  Jinns,  and  in  the  One  of  Evil,  which 
he  constantly  declared  lurked  in  the  most  gloomy 
depths  of  the  Forest  of  Perpetual  Night.  Once  or 
twice  on  our  lonely  journey  he  had  been  terrified  at 
seeing  in  the  darkness  some  mysterious  object  moving, 
but  it  generally  turned  out  to  be  a  monkey,  a  leop- 
ard, or  some  other  animal  startled  by  our  sudden  in- 
vasion of  his  domain. 

At  such  times  I  laughed  at  his  dread  of  darkness,  but 


B  propbecg.  227 

I  confess  that  more  than  once  in  that  weird  and  terri- 
ble wilderness  of  trees  I,  myself,  had  become  infected 
by  his  abject  fear,  and  stood  in  readiness  to  witness 
some  uncanny  being  advance  towards  us.  Now,  how- 
ever, my  little  apelike  companion  expressed  a  profound 
belief  that  the  seat  of  the  Evil  Spirit  was  actually 
beyond  the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin,  and  that  the  story, 
as  related  by  Yakul,  was  the  most  sensible  solution  of 
the  mystery  he  had  yet  heard.  I  could  not  reprimand 
him,  because  I  did  not  wish  to  cast  doubt  upon  the 
belief  of  the  grateful  savage  who  had  proved  our  sincere 
friend.  Therefore  I  held  my  peace,  declaring  that  I 
would  express  no  opinion  before  I  saw  the  spot. 

Yakul  laughed  when  I  thus  made  reply  to  my  slave, 
and  turning  to  him,  said, — 

"  Thy  master  acteth  with  discretion.  Ofttimes,  we 
trip  in  the  hurry  of  the  tongue.  They  are  wise  who 
speak  not  before  examining  a  matter  themselves." 

"  For  many  moons  have  we  journeyed  in  search  of 
the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin,"  the  dwarf  answered,  "  and, 
even  though  I  may  fear  him  who  dwelleth  therein,  yet 
I,  like  my  master,  will  not  be  deterred  from  approach- 
ing it  closely." 

"  Then,  thy  life  will  pay  the  penalty  of  thy  rashness," 
the  chief  observed,  slowly  nodding  his  head  to  empha- 
size his  words. 

"  The  result  of  any  folly  will  be  upon  us  alone," 
Tiamo  said,  in  a  resentful  tone.  "  Lead  us  thither,  and 
leave  us  to  our  own  devices." 

"  Such  is  my  intention,"  answered  the  chief  of  the 
Avejeli.  "  If  thou  hadst  searched  through  the  Forest 
of  Perpetual  Night,  thou  wouldst  not  have  obtained  a 
guide,  even  though  thou  hadst  offered  him  a  sack  of 
cowries,  or  an  ass's  load  of  brass  rods." 

"  Why  ?  "  I  inquired. 


228  Gbe  J6Be  ot  flstac. 


"  Because  the  secret  of  the  existence  of  the  seat  of 
the  Evil  Spirit  in  our  midst  is  carefully  guarded  by  the 
forest  tribes,  and  to  lead  a  stranger  thither  is  an  offence 
punishable  by  death.  Our  prophets  have  for  centuries 
urged  upon  us  the  necessity  for  keeping  the  whereabouts 
of  the  rock  secret,  declaring  that  some  day  a  stranger 
will  come  from  the  north,  and  seek  to  penetrate  the 
mystery.  If  the  stranger  is  successful,  then  the  ven- 
geance of  the  Evil  One  will  descend  upon  all  forest- 
dwellers  in  whose  keeping  the  secret  remaineth,  and 
sweep  them  out  of  existence  by  means  of  a  terrible 
scourge  of  leprosy.  Therefore,  the  tribe  of  pigmies 
holding  the  country  near  the  rock  are  deadly  hostile 
towards  those  who  approach  them,  and  none,  save  the 
Manuyema,  have  ever  been  permitted  to  go  near,  and 
even  they  were  all  quickly  massacred  by  us,  not  one 
being  spared  to  spread  the  news  among  his  compa- 
triots." 

"  Then,  in  acting  as  our  guide,  thou  art  running  a 
risk  of  death  ?"  I  exclaimed,  in  surprise. 

The  chief  nodded  assent,  adding  :  "  It  is  the  only 
means  by  which  I  can  repay  thee  for  giving  me  my 
life." 

"  If  our  efforts  are  satisfactory,  thou  wilt  assuredly 
receive  ample  reward,"  I  said. 

"  I  want  none,"  he  replied.  "  But  bring  not  upon 
our  people  the  doom  that  hath  so  long  been  prophe- 
sied," he  added,  with  earnest  fervency. 

"  I  may  be  the  stranger  whose  coming  hath  been  fore- 
told," I  observed,  laughing. 

El-Sadie,  the  dwarf,  grinned  from  ear  to  ear,  and 
rubbed  his  thighs,  while  Yakul  moved  uneasily,  and,  tak- 
ing up  a  stick,  slowly  stirred  the  fire. 

"I  trust  not,"  he  said,  in  a  harsh  tone.  "  It  would 
be  better  that  I  had  died  where  the  murderers  of  Tippu- 


229 

Tib  bound  me,  than  I  should  be  instrumental  in  leading 
the  destroyer  of  our  race  unto  victory." 

"  Destroyer  of  thy  race  ! "  I  echoed.  "  I  have  no 
desire  to  destroy  either  the  pigmies  of  the  forest,  or 
the  stalwart  dwellers  of  the  river  banks.  My  campaign 
is  not  one  of  conquest,  but  of  curiosity.  In  searching 
for  the  rock  I  am  but  redeeming  a  pledge  to  the  wo- 
man I  love.  Therefore,  have  no  fear  as  to  my  inten- 
tions "  ;  aad  laughing  again,  I  added,"  Whatever  may 
occur,  thou  wilt  assuredly  be  remembered." 

"  But  the  prophecy,  it  is " 

"  Heed  it  not,  be  it  what  it  may,"  I  urged,  interrupt- 
ing him.  "  Be  thou  our  guide,  and  give  us  thy  protec- 
tion through  the  country  of  the  pigmies.  Assuredly 
wilt  thou  be  fitly  rewarded." 

"  I  take  no  reward  from  one  to  whom  I  owe  so  much," 
he  answered,  proudly.  For  a  few  moments  he  hesitated, 
then  added  :  "  I  have  promised  to  direct  thy  footsteps 
unto  the  mysterious  region  of  the  Evil  One,  and  will 
do  so,  notwithstanding  the  prophecy.  The  pledge  of 
Yakul  is  never  broken.  Therefore,  trust  in  me,  and 
within  twelve  days  thine  eyes  shall  be  gladdened  by 
the  sight  of  the  gloomy  rock  for  which  thou  hast  so 
long  searched. 

I  thanked  him,  assuring  him  that  by  such  an  action 
he  would  repay  my  small  service  a  thousandfold,  and 
he  accepted  my  expressions  of  pleasure  with  that  calm 
dignity  which  had  held  him  exalted  above  all  others  of 
his  tribe. 

"  Then  let  us  rest,"  he  said.  "  To-morrow  we  must 
retrace  our  steps  one  march,  and  then  strike  in  the 
direction  of  the  sunrise.  Yakul  shall  lead  thee,  but  if 
thine  adventurous  expedition  shouldst  cost  thee  thy 
life,  let  it  not  be  upon  my  head,  for  already  have  I  given 
thee  full  warning  of  the  dangers  that  must  beset  thee." 


230  tTbe  Ege  of  ITstar, 

"  Thou  art  exonerated  from  every  blame,  O  my 
friend,"  I  answered.  "  Of  our  own  free  desire  we  go 
forward  unto  the  Land  of  the  Myriad  Mysteries,  and 
we  are  ready  that  the  consequences  rest  with  us." 

"  Well  hast  thou  spoken,  O  master,"  my  slave  ex- 
claimed. "  Wheresoever  thou  seekest  for  truth,  there 
also  will  I  bear  thee  company." 

"  Then  let  us  refresh  ourselves  by  sleep,  and  let  us 
proceed  at  sunrise,"  said  the  chief  of  the  Avejeli  ;  and 
soon  afterwards,  having  made  couches  of  leaves,  we 
stretched  ourselves  around  the  embers  of  our  fire,  the 
flickering  of  which  cast  weird,  grotesque  shadows  upon 
the  boles  of  the  giants  of  the  forest. 

How  long  I  slept  I  have  no  knowledge,  but  the 
crackling  of  wood  awakened  me.  Opening  my  eyes 
quickly,  without  moving,  I  saw  the  flames  had  sunk  and 
sleep  had  stolen  over  my  two  companions.  Tiamo  lay 
on  his  side,  his  hand  on  \i\s>  jambiyah  at  his  waist,  while 
Yakul  snored  and  rolled  as  if  he  did  not  like  the 
ground  to  lie  upon.  The  [single  ember  that  blazed 
threw  its  light  upon  some  dark  bushes  within  my  line 
of  sight. 

Suddenly  I  thought  I  detected  a  small  object  moving 
in  the  deep  shadow,  and  strained  my  eyes  into  the 
gloom.  Yes  !  I  was  not  deceived !  Another  dark 
form  moved,  then  another  and  another,  and  as  one 
crept  out  on  tiptoe  from  the  thick  undergrowth,  I  saw 
it  was  a  tiny,  half-naked  dwarf,  wearing  a  curious 
square  head-dress,  advancing  noiselessly,  a  small  poi- 
soned arrow  held  in  his  bow  ready  to  fly  at  the  first 
sign  of  our  awakening. 

The  one  creeping  towards  us  did  so  with  evil  intent, 
for  there  was  a  keen,  murderous  look  in  his  tiny,  bead- 
like  eyes.  During  the  first  few  moments  of  this  dis- 
covery I  remained  spellbound,  allowing  our  adversa- 


©n  tbe  Ibonson.  231 

ries  to  creep  forward  until  within  two  spears'  length 
of  us. 

Then  I  sent  up  a  loud  shout  of  alarm  that  rang 
through  the  great  forest  and  came  back  again  with 
strange,  almost  sepulchral  echo. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

ON    THE   HORIZON. 

INSTANTLY  the  tiny  people  of  the  Wambutti,  none  of 
whom  reached  higher  than  my  waist,  scampered  back 
into  the  undergrowth,  startled  by  my  unearthly  yells, 
but  at  the  same  moment  Yakul  jumped  to  his  feet  in 
alarm,  an  arrow  in  his  bow. 

"  Why  hast  thou  given  warning  ?"  he  cried,  glancing 
at  me.  "  What  hideous  shape  hath  frightened  thee  ?  " 

"  See  !  in  yonder  bushes,  the  pigmies  are  lurking,"  I 
gasped  in  alarm,  pointing  to  the  spot  where  they  had 
concealed  themselves. 

"  How  didst  thou  detect  their  presence  ? "  he  in- 
quired. 

"I  watched  them." 

Turning  towards  the  thick  bushes,  the  savage  chief- 
tain shouted  some  words  in  a  tongue  unknown  to  me, 
and  next  second  the  impish  little  denizens  of  the  forest 
depths  sprang  from  their  hiding-places,  and  recogniz- 
ing their  friend,  came  crowding  around,  dancing  and 
greeting  us  effusively. 

Briefly  Yakul  explained  our  position.  His  eyes  were 
fire  ;  his  passion  for  his  slaughtered  and  enslaved  race, 
and  his  passion  for  revenge,  were  as  the  lode-star  of 
his  life.  After  consultation,  the  hunters  of  the  Warn- 


232  Ube  Ege  of  1T0tar. 

butti  relit  our  fire  by  rubbing  two  sticks  together,  and 
squatted  around  it,  laughing  and  chattering  in  their 
strange  language  until  the  gray  light,  glimmering 
through  the  tall  trees,  told  us  that  dawn  had  come. 
Times  innumerable  had  the  Avejeli  assisted  the  dwarfs 
against  the  raiding  dwellers  on  the  grasslands  and  on 
the  river  banks.  The  yellow-complexioned  pigmies, 
dwelling  as  they  do  deep  in  the  impenetrable  depths  of 
the  boundless  Forest  of  Perpetual  Night,  are  formid- 
able enemies,  for  they  conceal  themselves  so  cleverly 
that  their  arrows  and  spears  pierce  the  intruder  before 
he  is  aware  of  their  presence.  As  hunters,  these  little- 
known  men  stand  first  among  the  pagan  tribes  of  Cen- 
tral Africa,  and  in  return  for  food  and  bark-cloth 
supply  the  neighboring  tribes  with  quantities  of  ivory, 
and  the  deadliest  of  arrow  poisons.  Their  complexions 
are  much  lighter  than  the  dwellers  by  the  river  or  on 
the  plains,  and  their  villages  are  mere  collections  of 
tiny  huts  that  appear  like  little  straw-covered  mounds 
placed  in  the  centre  of  a  forest  clearing. 

At  first  our  weird  little  friends  seemed  inclined  to 
regard  me  with  considerable  distrust,  but  on  Yakul's 
assurance  that  I  was  no  ally  of  Tippu-Tib's,  their  dis- 
trust gave  place  to  curiosity  as  to  my  purpose  in 
travelling  through  the  forest.  Yakul  reminded  them 
of  the  promise  of  assistance  they  had  many  times 
given  him,  and  told  them  of  my  mission  ;  whereupon, 
after  consultation  with  their  headman,  they  consented 
— not,  however,  without  some  reluctance — to  guide  us 
towards  the  Land  of  the  Myriad  Mysteries  ;  and  after 
re-arranging  their  elephant-trap  into  which  we  had 
fallen,  our  fire  was  extinguished  and  we  struck  camp, 
turning  our  faces  in  a  north-easterly  direction. 
Through  a  great,  gloomy  tract  of  primeval  forest, 
where  the  foliage  was  so  dense  that  scarcely  a  ray 


<S>n  tbe  1>orf3on.  233 

of  light  could  struggle  through  to  illuminate  our  weary 
footsteps,  we  passed  over  marshy  ground,  where  poi- 
sonous vapors  hung  undisturbed  by  the  faintest  breath 
of  air,  and  where  neither  animals  nor  birds  could  live  ; 
on  over  the  decaying  vegetation  of  centuries  ;  on,  day 
after  day,  now  scrambling  over  fallen  giants  of  the 
forest,  and  ever  and  anon  sinking  knee-deep  in  quag- 
mires of  foetid  slime.  Often  we  struck  an  elephant 
track  which  assisted  us,  but  were  always  compelled  to 
leave  it  very  soon  in  order  to  continue  our  course. 
Thus  through  many  dreary  hours  we  pressed  forward 
in  the  dull,  dispiriting  gloom. 

Confident  in  the  knowledge  that  each  bivouac 
brought  us  nearer  the  spot  for  which  I  searched,  I 
heeded  neither  fatigue  nor  peril,  and  judge  my  satis- 
faction, joy  and  eagerness,  when  at  last  we  suddenly 
emerged  from  the  forest  gloom  into  the  blessed  light 
of  day.  Halting,  I  inhaled  the  first  invigorating  breath 
of  pure  air  I  had  breathed  for  many  weeks. 

The  dwarfs  raising  their  hands  above  their  heads, 
gave  vent  to  some  cabalistic  utterances  ;  then,  trem- 
bling with  fear,  stood,  not  daring  to  proceed  further 
into  the  country  forbidden.  Yakul  called  us  to  witness 
that  our  friends  had  guided  us  in  the  right  path,  and 
Tiamo,  turning  to  me,  cried  excitedly  in  Arabic, — 

"  Of  a  verity,  O  master,  soon  will  our  eyes  be  de- 
lighted at  the  sight  of  the  great  rock.  The  chief 
Yakul  is  assuredly  as  sincere  a  friend  as  if  he  had 
made  blood  brotherhood  with  thee." 

Facing  towards  the  holy  Ka'aba,  I  thanked  Allah 
for  his  deliverance,  and  recited  the  Testification  with 
some  verses  from  the  book  of  Everlasting  Will. 

Under  a  brilliant  noonday  sun  the  open  country 
spread  wide  before  us,  a  beautiful  plain,  covered  with 
grass  of  freshest  green,  and  stretching  away  into  the 


234  Gbe  lEge  of  Ustar. 

far-off  horizon,  where  a  range  of  mountains  rose  blue, 
misty  and  indistinct. 

"  Behold  !  "  shouted  Yakul,  pointing  with  his  spear 
to  the  distant  serrated  line  a  moment  later.  "  Behold, 
yonder  peak  that  standeth  higher  than  the  rest,  and  is 
shaped  like  the  prow  of  a  canoe,  is  the  spot  which 
thou  seekest.  Lo  !  it  is  the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin  !  " 

My  eyes,  strained  in  the  direction  indicated,  could 
just  distinguish  the  point  where  one  mountain  rose 
higher  than  its  neighbors,  its  summit  apparently  ob- 
scured by  the  vapors  that  hung  about  it. 

"Art  thou  certain  that  yonder  crest  is  actually  the 
rock  we  seek  ? "  I  asked,  shading  my  eyes  with  my 
hands,  and  eagerly  gazing  away  to  the  blue  haze  that 
enshrouded  a  mystery  upon  the  elucidation  of  which 
my  whole  future  depended. 

"  Of  a  verity  the  grassland  beneath  thy  feet  is  the 
same  field  whereon  my  people  gained  the  signal  victory 
over  their  enemies.  Behold  !  their  whitening  bones 
remain  as  relics  of  that  fight  ;  and  yonder,  afar,  lieth 
the  forbidden  Land  of  the  Myriad  Mysteries. 

"  Let  us  hasten  thither,  O  master,"  urged  Tiamo,  who 
had  been  standing  agape  in  amazement,  eagerly  drink- 
ing in  every  word  uttered  by  the  sable  chieftain. 

"In  short  space  shall  we  reach  the  shore  of  the 
wondrous  Lake  of  the  Accursed,"  Yakul  exclaimed. 
"  By  to-morrow's  noon  our  faces  shall  be  mirrored  in 
its  waters." 

"  Let  us  speed  on  the  wings  of  haste,"  I  said  ;  and 
then,  remembering  Yakul's  confidence  in  the  non-suc- 
cess of  my  strange  mission,  I  added,  "  Each  hour  is  of 
serious  moment.  Already  have  I  tarried  too  great  a 
space  on  my  way  hither,  and  must  return  more  quickly 
than  I  came.  How  I  shall  journey  back  to  Kano  I 
know  not." 


©n  tbe  Dorison.  235 

"  Thou  needest  not  retrace  thy  footsteps  along  the 
route  thou  hast  traversed,"  answered  the  chief.  "  Due 
north  of  yonder  rock  there  runneth  a  track  which 
leadeth  through  the  Great  Forest  to  Ipoto,  Thence, 
crossing  the  Ihourou  river,  the  way  leadeth  on  through 
the  desolate  country  of  the  Mbelia  unto  the  mountain 
called  Nai,  whence  thou  canst  journey  in  six  marches 
to  Niam-Niam,  and  onward  unto  thine  own  desert  land." 

Our  friends,  the  dwarfs,  had  grouped  themselves 
under  the  shadow  of  the  trees  on  the  edge  of  the 
forest,  conversing  seriously.  None  summoned  sufficient 
courage  to  wander  forth  upon  the  verdant  land,  where 
flowers  grew  in  wild  abundance,  and  where  herds  of 
buffalo  grazed  undisturbed.  This  strange  land,  unt 
known  to  all  except  themselves,  they  held  in  utmost 
awe.  They  dared  not  approach  it  more  closely,  lest 
the  dreaded  pestilence  that  had  been  prophesied  should 
fall  and  sweep  them  from  the  face  of  the  earth. 

Yakul  approached  their  headman,  urging  him  to  ac- 
company us  and  explore  the  mysterious  rock,  but  the 
tiny  man  only  shook  his  head,  and  drawing  himself  up, 
answered, — 

"  Verily,  we  are  thy  friends,  O  friend,  but  seek  not 
to  cause  us  to  invoke  the  wrath  of  the  Destroyer,  lest 
the  pestilence  should  fall  upon  us.  He  who  resteth 
his  eyes  on  yonder  rock  will  assuredly  be  smitten,  and 
his  entrails  withered  by  the  breath  of  the  Evil  Spirit 
of  the  Forest  that  scorcheth  like  the  flame  of  a  burn- 
ing brand.  To  pass  over  yonder  grassland  is  for- 
bidden." 

"  We  go  forward  in  search  of  the  Land  of  the  Myriad 
Mysteries,"  the  chief  of  the  Avejeli  explained. 

"  Then  assuredly  thou  goest  unto  certain  death," 
the  dwarfs  replied,  almost  with  one  accord,  shaking 
their  heads  and  shrugging  their  narrow  shoulders. 


236  Gbe  fise  of  flstar. 


"  Be  warned,"  their  headman  added.  "  The  De- 
stroyer is  mighty  ;  he  ruleth  the  Great  Forest  and  its 
people.  Assuredly  he  is  swift  to  punish  !  " 

"  He  who  will  bear  us  company  unto  the  Lake  of 
the  Accursed,  let  him  stand  forth,  or  if  he  dare  not 
venture,  then  let  him  hold  his  peace,"  said  Yakul, 
standing  erect,  spear  in  hand. 

But  not  a  dwarf  advanced.  All  feared  to  pass  across 
the  fertile  plain,  and  investigate  the  mysterious  coun- 
try beyond. 

Then,  after  much  parleying  and  many  solemnly- 
uttered  warnings  on  the  part  of  the  pigmies,  my  two 
companions  and  myself  left  them,  setting  our  faces 
resolutely  towards'  the  sacred  lake,  the  approach  to 
which  was  prohibited  to  all. 

The  grass  was  soft  beneath  our  feet  after  the  diffi- 
cult march  through  the  untrodden  forest  ;  the  sight  of 
flowers,]of  animals  and  of  birds  refreshed  our  eyes  after 
the  eternal  silence  and  appalling  gloom  in  which  we  had 
existed  through  so  many  weary  days  ;  and  as  the  sun 
sank  in  a  sea  of  crimson  behind  us,  and  our  shadows 
lengthened  across  the  grass,  I  halted  for  a  few  mo- 
ments to  repeat  the  sunset  prayer,  remembering  that 
there  was  one  afar  off  who  had  opened  her  lattice  and 
breathed  upon  the  hot,  stifling  desert  wind  a  fervent 
message  of  love. 

Within  sight  of  the  entrance  to  the  mysterious  Land 
of  the  No  Return  I  wondered,  as  I  strode  forward,  what 
the  result  of  my  mission  would  be  ;  whether,  by  good 
fortune,  I  should  be  enabled  to  reach  the  Rock  of  the 
Great  Sin  in  safety  ;  whether  the  explanation  of  the 
mysterious  Mark  of  the  Asps  upon  my  breast  would 
ever  be  revealed  ;  whether  the  true-hearted  woman  I 
loved  so  dearly  still  stood  in  peril  of  the  vile  intrigues 
around  her  ;  whether  the  Khalifa's  plot  had  been  frus- 


(Sreat  Sin.  237 

trated,  and  whether,  by  Allah's  grace,  my  feet  would 
ever  again  tread  the  well-remembered  courts  of  the 
luxurious  Fada  at  Kano. 

The  traditions  of  the  sons  of  Al-Islam  and  those  of 
the  pagans  were  alike  so  ominous  that,  as  the  dark 
mountains  gradually  became  misty  and  indistinct  when 
the  night  clouds  enveloped  them,  I  became  filled  with 
gloomy  apprehensions,  fearing  failure,  and  the  fulfil- 
ment of  the  strange,  terrifying  prophecies  of  the 
dwarfs. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

THE    GREAT   SIN. 

HASTILY  we  sped  forward  early  next  morning,  our 
eyes  eagerly  riveted  upon  our  goal. 

The  saffron  streak  of  dawn  showed  behind  the  great, 
gloomy  range  of  blue  and  gray,  and  as  the  fleecy  clouds 
lifted,  we  saw  that  the  higher  peaks  beyond  were  tipped 
with  snow.  The  lofty  crests  were  tinted  with  an  un- 
usual blood-red  light.  Truly  the  country  beyond  had 
been  justly  named  by  the  pagans  the  Land  of  the 
Myriad  Mysteries. 

Soon  we  ascended  a  knoll,  and  at  its  summit  were 
enabled  to  distinguish,  straight  in  front  of  us,  a  pool  of 
dark  water  which,  at  that  distance,  seemed  only  a 
leopard's  leap  in  width,  lying  immediately  beneath  the 
Rock  of  the  Great  Sin. 

"  Behold  !  "  cried  Tiamo,  who  had  sped  forward  a 
few  paces  and  gazed  around.  "  See  !  0  master !  Yon- 
der must  be  the  Lake  of  the  Accursed,  the  poisonous 
waters  that  all  men  fear  !  " 


238  Cbe  &ve  of  Itetar. 

Even  as  I  gazed,  the  sun  shone  forth  from  behind 
the  mountains  which  Yakul  called  the  Jebel  el-Mantar 
(Mountains  of  the  Look-out),  and  the  shadow  cast  by 
the  dark,  towering  rock  fell  across  the  black,  silent 
pool.  We  quickened  our  pace,  each  of  us  breathlessly 
eager  to  investigate  the  mysterious  spot.  A  great 
golden  eagle  came  from  his  nest  on  the  summit  of  the 
rock,  soaring  high  above  us,  while  a  crowd  of  gray 
vultures  hovered  around  with  a  persistency  which 
seemed  precursory  of  death. 

"Alas!  The  birds  of  evil  follow  us,"  exclaimed 
Yakul,  observing  them  ;  but  neither  Tiamo  nor  my- 
self answered,  for  we  were  both  too  full  of  our  own 
thoughts,  fearing  lest  our  mission  should  prove  abortive. 
My  slave  fingered  his  amulets,  uttering  many  strange 
exhortations,  while  my  companion,  the  chief  of  the 
Avejeli,  raised  his  long,  sinewy  arms  towards  the  rock 
and  cried  aloud  to  the  Evil  Spirit,  humbly  acknowl- 
edging that  he  had  broken  the  commandment,  and 
earnestly  craving  forgiveness. 

Nevertheless,  we  still  hurried  forward,  and,  half-an- 
hour  before  the  sun  reached  the  noon,  were  standing 
at  the  shore  of  the  black  pool,  upon  the  unruffled  sur- 
face of  which  the  high,  inaccessible  face  of  the  rock 
descending  sheer  into  the  water  was  faithfully  reflected, 
with  every  detail  of  color  and  form. 

The  scene  was  exactly  similar  in  every  particular  to 
that  which,  from  the  lattice  in  the  palace  of  Kano,  I 
had  seen  reflected  upon  the  sky.  The  mirage,  though 
inverted,  had  been  an  exact  reproduction  of  the  wild, 
gloomy  landscape. 

With  wondering  eyes  I  gazed  around,  seeking  to  dis- 
cover some  clue  to  the  mystery,  but  was  at  a  loss  how 
to  commence. 

The  width  of  the  Lake  of  the  Accursed,  from  the 


Cbe  Great  Sin.  239 

spot  where  we  stood  to  the  base  of  the  rock,  was 
about  a  gunshot,  and  it  extended  on  either  side  along 
the  bases  of  the  mountains  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach.  The  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin  rose,  a  wall  of  dark 
gray  stone  devoid  of  any  vestige  of  herbage,  towering 
rough  and  rugged  to  enormous  height,  and  overhang- 
ing in  such  a  manner  that  it  could  not  be  scaled.  Like 
the  giant  mountains  and  rocky  pinnacles  around  and 
beyond,  it  was  utterly  inaccessible.  Even  if  the  water 
had  not  formed  a  natural  barrier  no  man  could  ascend 
its  precipitous  face  or  climb  its  rugged,  overhanging 
crags  ;  while  all  around  a  chain  of  impassable  rocks 
and  mountains  reared  their  mighty  crests  between  us 
and  the  mysterious  Land  of  the  No  Return.  Suddenly 
I  felt  in  my  throat  a  strange  sensation  as  of  asphyxia- 
tion. Violent  fits  of  coughing  seized  both  my  compan- 
ions, while  my  own  throat  seemed  to  contract  strangely, 
until  I  could  only  breathe  in  short,  painful  gasps. 

Just  at  that  moment  my  eyes  fell  upon  the  long,  nar- 
row pool,  and  I  saw,  wafted  slowly  along  its  glassy  sur- 
face, a  thin  blue  vapor.  Bending,  I  placed  my  hand  in 
the  water  ;  it  was  just  tepid,  and  strongly  impregnated 
with  sulphur.  Then  I  noticed  that,  within  an  arrow's 
flight  of  the  shore,  not  even  a  blade  of  grass  grew. 
The  Lake  of  the  Accursed  was  evidently  fed  by  a  large 
number  of  hot  springs,  and  the  strong  sulphurous  fumes 
given  off  exterminated  life  in  every  form.  The  asser- 
tions of  the  pigmies  were  correct.  Those  who  ap- 
proached the  waters  were  in  imminent  peril  of  death. 

Finding  ourselves  in  this  critical  position,  we  all 
three  sped  away  to  the  zone  where  the  grass  grew  abun- 
dantly, and  there  found  that  we  could  again  breathe 
freely.  Without  approaching  nearer  to  the  Lake  of  the 
Accursed,  we  proceeded  to  investigate  the  rocks  to  right 
and  left.  Apparently  these  high,  gray  crags  flanked  the 


240  Cbe  JEge  ot  ifstar. 

bases  of  the  giant,  snow-capped  mountains  that  beyond, 
in  the  unknown  Land  of  the  No  Return,  reared  their 
heads  to'tthe  cloudless  heavens  ;  but  though  we  searched 
throughout  the  long  and  brilliant  day,  we  were  unable 
to  discover  any  means  of  approach  to  the  unknown  and 
unexplored  plateau  that  lay  behind.  As  far  as  we  trav- 
elled east  or  west  the  poisonous  waters  and  soft,  slimy 
swamps  formed  a  natural  gulf  that  precluded  any 
attempt  to  scale  the  dizzy  heights  forming  the  outer, 
impregnable  limits  to  the  strange,  rock-girt  realm. 

Times  without  number  I  stood  gazing  up  at  the  dark 
mysterious  rock,  the  spot  held  in  awe  alike  by  pagans 
of  the  Forest  of  Perpetual  Night  and  true  Believers. 
It  had  remained  for  me  to  discover  that  which  for  gen- 
erations my  kinsmen  had  sought  and  failed.  So  far, 
indeed,  Allah  had  allowed  me  to  be  successful,  but  the 
promised  elucidation  of  the  mystery  seemed  as  far  off 
as  ever,  and  as  evening  fell  and  the  gigantic  mountains, 
magnificent  in  their  wild  ruggedness,  became  crimsoned 
by  the  fiery  afterglow,  I  began  to  realize  the  utter  im- 
possibility of  obtaining  from  that  gray,  frowning  wall 
any  explanation  of  the  Mark  of  the  Asps,  or  of  gaining 
the  Land  of  the  No  Return,  whereon  the  foot  of  man 
had  never  fallen. 

When  the  plain  was  flooded  with  roseate  radiance,  we 
held  earnest  consultation  together,  and  agreed  that  to 
remain  nearer  the  lake  for  any  length  of  time  would 
prove  fatal.  Even  Tiamo,  who  had  been  so  sanguine 
of  success,  now  expressed  a  fear  that,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  discovering  the  rock,  our  journey  could  have 
no  further  result.  Yakul  endorsed  the  dwarf's  opinion, 
as,  sitting  upon  his  haunches,  'hugging  his  knees,  he 
repeated  a  prayer  to  the  Evil  Spirit  whose  vengeance 
he  feared. 

Night  came  soon,  and  the  mountains  were  silver  with 


Great  Sin.  241 

moonlight.  The  waters  of  the  lake  glittered  in  the 
white  beams  ;  the  silver  moon  queened  heaven  amid 
her  court  of  silver  stars.  What  was  there  beyond  that 
impassable  barrier  ?  A  world  all  purity,  all  peace  ;  a 
blanched  world,  bleached  of  blood  and  shame  ;  a  world 
of  mystery,  so  fair  it  seemed  to  wait  for  some  ethereal 
being,  tall  and  radiant,  winged  with  light,  to  path  its 
unknown  valleys.  Sleep  came  not  to  my  eyes.  By 
some  strange  intuition  I  felt  that  at  that  spot  some 
weird  mystery  remained  hidden,  and  having  travelled 
thus  far,  and  actually  discovered  the  Rock  of  the  Great 
Sin,  the  spot  that  had  remained  a  mystery  through  ages, 
I  was  determined  that  nothing  should  deter  me  from 
exploring  further. 

Yakul  and  the  dwarf  were  eating  their  morning 
meal  as  I  strolled  alone  at  the  edge  of  the  zone,  beyond 
reach  of  the  poisonous,  insidious  vapors.  Once  again  I 
gazed  up  at  the  weird,  precipitous  crag  in  abject  won- 
derment. With  its  towering  summit  standing  out  boldly 
against  the  vault  of  cloudless  blue,  and  its  delicate 
tints  of  brown  and  gray  faithfully  reflected  upon  the 
still  waters,  it  rose,  a  barrier  between  the  Known  and 
the  Unknown — mysterious,  marvellous,  magnificent. 

With  arms  folded  and  chin  upon  my  breast,  I  sur- 
veyed its  inaccessible  base,  seeking  for  the  hundredth 
time  to  discover  some  means  of  gaining  the  land  beyond, 
when  suddenly  my  eyes  were  attracted  by  a  portion  of 
the  rock  close  to  where  the  waveless  waters  lapped  its 
enormous  base.  In  its  aspect  there  was  nothing  very 
remarkable,  yet  my  eyes,  on  the  alert  for  the  slightest 
clue,  detected  that  for  a  short  distance  the  black  strata 
of  the  rock  ran  at  an  entirely  different  angle  to  the 
remainder,  as  if  at  some  time  or  other  the  base  had 
been  disturbed  by  some  violent  upheaval.  Covering 
my  mouth  with  my  hand  to  exclude  the  suffocating 


242  Ube  JEge  of  f  star. 

vapors,  I  rushed  down  to  the  edge  of  the  lake,  strain- 
ing my  gaze  in  its  direction.  At  about  a  spear's  length 
above  the  surface,  this  strange  inequality  extended, 
but  apparently  the  rock  above  had  remained  undis- 
turbed by  the  volcanic  action. 

The  legend  alleging  that  the  savage  serpent,  which 
ages  ago  guarded  the  entrance  to  the  Land  of  the  No 
Return,  had  smote  the  rock  in  his  wrath,  and  that  its 
rocky  portals  had  instantly  closed,  recurred  to  me. 
Could  that  spot  have  been  the  actual  entrance  to  the 
Unknown  Land  ?  Might  not  the  zealously-guarded 
gate  have  closed  and  sunk  beneath  the  surface  of  the 
unfathomable  waters  ? 

I  held  my  breath,  feeling  myself  on  the  verge  of  a 
discovery.  Yet  to  investigate  seemed  impossible,  for 
we  had  no  wood  from  which  to  construct  a  raft,  and 
the  very  air  was  poisoned  by  noxious  vapors  that 
wafted  in  serpentine  gusts  across  the  surface  with  the 
faintest  zephyr. 

Yakul  shouted,  but  I  heeded  him  not.  I  was  gazing 
fixedly  at  the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin,  striving  to  devise 
some  means  by  which  to  reach  and  examine  the  dis- 
turbed portion  of  its  base.  It  occurred  to  me  that,  by 
diving  into  the  water,  I  could  perhaps  swim  across  and 
return  without  becoming  asphyxiated,  therefore  I 
walked  back  to  where  my  two  companions  were  squat- 
ting, and  amazed  them  by  announcing  my  intention  to 
cross  the  Lake  of  the  Accursed. 

"  But  are  not  its  waters  fatal  ?  Thou  wilt,  of  a 
verity,  be  poisoned  ! "  cried  Tiamo,  springing  to  his 
feet  and  clutching  my  arm  in  alarm. 

"  Unto  the  Lalla  Azala  I  gave  my  pledge  that  I  would 
strive  to  elucidate  this  mystery,"  I  answered,  calmly. 
"  I  shall  plunge  in  yonder,  and  strike  towards  the 
rock.  If  I  fail,  return  quickly  unto  her  and  tell  her 


©reat  Sin.  243 

in  what  manner  I  died.  Tell  her  that  for  many  moons 
have  I  journeyed  until  at  last  I  discovered  the  Rock  of 
the  Great  Sin,  and  that,  in  seeking  what  was  hidden,  I 
was  brought  unto  Certainty.  But,  by  the  grace  of  the 
One  Merciful,  who  hath  guided  me  by  the  sun  of  his 
favor,  I  hope  to  find  strength  sufficient  to  make  my 
investigation,  and  return  hither  in  safety.  In  case  I 
should  not,"  I  added,  removing  one  of  my  amulets  from 
the  little  string  of  talismans,  sewn  carefully  in  soft 
leather,  that  I  had  worn  always  next  my  skin  ever  since 
I  could  remember,  and  handing  it  to  him,  "  in  case  I 
should  fail,  take  this  to  the  Lalla  Azala,  and  tell  her 
that  my  last  thoughts  were  of  her." 

"  Truly  I  will,  O  master,"  answered  the  dwarf,  grasp- 
ing the  small  golden  circle,  and  feeling  it  with  nervous, 
trembling  fingers. 

"  Is  it  not  folly,  O  friend,  to  trust  thyself  in  yon 
sacred  lake  ?  There  is  death  in  its  breath,"  Yakul 
urged,  regarding  me  with  a  strange  look  of  pitying  sus- 
picion, as  if  fearing  that  I  had  taken  leave  of  my 
senses.  To  him  the  very  suggestion  seemed  preposter- 
ous. He  had  feared  to  approach  the  waters,  and  my 
resolution  to  desecrate  them  by  plunging  in  filled  him 
with  awe. 

"  It  cannot  be  avoided,"  I  answered.  "  I  seek  that 
which  I  desire  to  find,  and  am  determined  to  make  the 
attempt  if  Allah — whose  name  be  exalted  ! — willeth  it." 

"  And  if  thou  failest  ? "  he  asked. 

"Allah  alone  knoweth  the  hearts  of  men.  He  lead- 
eth  me,  and  I  am  not  afraid,"  I  answered. 

"  Alas  !  I  fear  thou  wilt  find  naught,"  the  savage 
chieftain  exclaimed.  "  Yon  mystery  is  hidden  from 
man,  and  vengeance  falleth  upon  him  who  seeketh  to 
tear  aside  the  veil." 

"  I  know,"  I  said.     "  A  hundred  times  hath  the  same 


244  $be  Ese  ot  Ustar, 

words  been  spoken  unto  me.  Each  man  to  whom  I 
mentioned  the  object  of  my  journey  prophesied  failure, 
yet  their  prognostications  have,  up  to  the  present, 
proved  untrue.  I  stand  here,  before  the  rock  which  fol- 
lowers of  the  Prophet  have  sought  for  ages,  but  could 
not  find,  and  I  tell  thee  I  am  resolved  to  investigate 
further." 

"  Have  a  care  of  thy  life,  O  master,"  cried  my  slave. 
"  Think,  the  Lalla  Azala,  who  loveth  thee,  could  live  no 
longer  if  thou  wert  dead." 

"  It  is  to  aid  her,  El-Sadie,  to  fulfil  my  pledge,  to 
gain  that  which  she  hath  said  will  bring  us  together 
never  to  part,  that  I  essay  this  attempt.  I  go.  If  I 
fail,  act  as  I  have  spoken.  May  Allah  accord  thee  his 
favors." 

Convinced  of  the  fruitlessness  of  any  effort  to  deter 
me  from  diving  into  the  poisonous  pool,  the  pagan 
dwarf  bowed  his  head,  while  Yakul  drove  his  spear  vi- 
ciously into  the  ground  and  turned  from  me  with  a  ges- 
ture of  impatience.  Addressing  Tiamo,  I  asked  him 
to  accompany  me,  and  we  walked  along  the  edge  of 
the  grass  to  a  point  opposite  where  the  strata  of  the 
rock  had  apparently  been  disturbed.  Then,  halting  a 
few  moments,  I  gave  him  a  further  message  of  affection 
to  deliver  to  my  enchantress  in  case  my  strength 
should  fail.  Overcome  with  emotion,  the  faithful  slave 
again  and  again  pointed  out  the  perils  of  such  a  rash 
attempt,  urging  me  to  abandon  it,  but  I  was  determined, 
and  quickly  divested  myself  of  a  portion  of  my  cloth- 
ing. 

Aloud  I  besought  the  Omniscient  One  to  bear  me  on 
the  strong  arm  of  his  aid,  and  shouting  a  word  of  en- 
couragement to  my  alarmed  companions,  I  dashed 
across  the  strip  of  parched,  barren  ground,  holding  my 
breath,  throwing  myself  upon  the  mercy  of  the  One 


(Sreat  Sin.  245 

Merciful — then,  a  moment  later,  I  plunged  headlong 
into  the  reeking,  malodorous  waters. 

The  strange  sensation  of  asphyxiation  seized  me  as  I 
rose  to  the  surface,  but,  determined  not  to  turn  back,  I 
struck  out  boldly  for  the  opposite  side,  where  the  rock 
descended  sheer  into  the  lake.  Keeping  my  mouth 
well  closed  I  took  long,  bold  strokes,  each  of  which 
brought  me  nearer  to  the  precipitous  face  of  the  giant 
rock.  The  shouts  of  my  excited  companions  broke  upon 
my  ears,  but  I  swam  on,  striving  with  all  my  might. 

Exerting  every  muscle,  I  clave  the  waters,  propelling 
myself  towards  the  point  that  had  been  disturbed  by 
the  singular  upheavel.  Very  soon,  however,  my  breath- 
ing became  shorter  and  more  difficult.  The  surface  of 
the  water  seemed  gloomy  and  ominous  in  the  shadow 
cast  by  the  sacred  rock,  and  although  I  had  long  con- 
sidered myself  a  strong  swimmer,  yet  the  difficulty  of 
gaining  breath  paralyzed  my  muscles,  and  a  strange 
cramp  that  I  had  never  before  experienced  seemed  to 
seize  me  in  iron  grip. 

In  the  centre  of  the  dreaded  Lake  of  the  Accursed  I 
felt  my  strength  fast  ebbing. 

With  set  teeth  I  struggled  against  the  fate  that 
threatened  each  moment  to  overwhelm  me,  and,  after 
resting  a  few  seconds,  struck  out  again  straight  towards 
my  goal.  As  I  neared  it  I  was  astonished  to  find  that 
swimming  was  much  easier,  and  my  pace  increased. 
Then  suddenly  I  became  aware  that  a  current  was 
carrying  me  swiftly  towards  the  very  spot  I  desired  to 
reach.  The  dark  rock  rose  before  me,  bare  and  im- 
posing, and  the  black  strata,  that  from  the  shore  had 
appeared  like  lines  thin  as  bow  strings,  now  showed 
wide,  rugged  and  distinct.  My  satisfaction  at  being 
thus  assisted  by  a  current,  the  existence  of  which  I 
was  ignorant,  was  quickly  succeeded  by  a  fear  that 


246  Gbe  Bge  of  Istar. 

froze  my  blood,  as  suddenly  I  noticed,  right  under  the 
disturbed  portion  of  the  rock,  a  great  eddying  whirl- 
pool, towards  which  I  was  being  swiftly  carried. 

To  enter  those  circling  waters  meant  certain  death. 
With  all  my  might  I  fought  and  struggled,  endeavor- 
ing to  turn  back,  but,  alas  !  found  myself  utterly  pow- 
erless, being  carried  helplessly  forward  towards  the 
funnel-shaped  depression  in  the  centre  of  the  whirlpool, 
where  all  objects  that  entered  were  sucked  down  into 
its  deep,  unfathomable  depths.  When  in  England,  I 
read  of  fatal  circling  currents  in  the  sea,  but  the  dis- 
covery of  one  in  a  still  lake  dismayed  me. 

Onward  I  was  swept,  the  current  gaining  greater 
rapidity  every  moment.  Knowing  that  no  hand  could 
be  outstretched  to  rescue  me,  I  pried  farewell  words  to 
my  companions.  But  my  voice,  thin  and  weak  as  a 
child's,  could  not  reach  them.  For  life  I  fought  des- 
perately, but  all  effort  was  futile.  Like  a  mere  chip  of 
wood  floating  upon  the  surface  I  was  drawn  into  the 
fatal  circle,  and  carried  round  the  outer  edge  of  the 
strange  whirlpool  with  such  terrible  velocity  that  my 
head  reeled,  and  a  sickening  dizziness  overcrept  me. 

So  near  I  passed  to  the  mysterious  rock,  that  in 
order  to  steady  and  save  myself,  I  clutched  at  its 
smooth,  gigantic  base  with  both  hands.  But  only  for  a 
second.  Over  the  pale  yellow  slime  with  which  the 
stone  was  covered  my  frantic  fingers  slipped,  and  fall- 
ing back  powerless  into  the  eddying  waters,  I  was  again 
swept  into  the  fatal,  ever-narrowing  circle. 

The  eddying  current  whirled  me  round  and  round 
with  amazing  swiftness  for  a  few  moments,  until  sud- 
denly I  reached  its  centre,  and  felt  myself  being  sucked 
down  by  an  irresistible  force.  An  instant  later  I  knew 
that  the  black  waters  had  closed  over  me.  Confused 
sounds  roared  in  my  ears  like  the  thunder  in  Ramadan, 


Wbere  Dwelt  tbe  Devourer.  247 

but  ere  my  sensibility  became  utterly  obliterated  I 
knew  I  was  being  carried  deep  down  into  a  darkness 
that,  even  in  my  critical  state  of  breathless  half-con- 
sciousness, filled  me  with  an  all-consuming  terror  and 
chilled  my  heart. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

WHERE    DWELT    THE    DEVOURER. 

IN  the  appalling  darkness  that  overwhelmed  me,  I 
fought,  blindly  beating  the  water  with  frantic  hands. 
As  I  struggled  to  extricate  myself  from  the  power  of 
the  whirling  current  my  arms  suddenly  struck  against 
stones  on  either  side.  With  desperate  effort  I  put  out 
my  hands,  and  to  my  amazement  found  myself  being 
carried  onward,  by  a  rushing  flood,  through  what  ap- 
peared to  be  a  narrow  tunnel  in  the  face  of  the  rock, 
deep  below  the  lake's  surface.  Though  but  half  con- 
scious, I  remember  distinctly  reflecting  that  the  whirl- 
pool had  no  doubt  been  caused  by  this  violent  outrush 
of  water  descending  to  feed  some  subterranean  river, 
and  that  the  chasm  had  probably  been  caused  by  the 
volcanic  disturbance  that  had  first  attracted  my  atten- 
tion. Half  suffocated,  and  powerless  against  the  roar- 
ing torrent,  I  was  sucked  downward,  deep  into  the 
fathomless  chasm. 

Suddenly  my  fingers  came  in  contact  with  a  project- 
ing ledge  of  rock,  which  I  gripped  with  all  my  might, 
just  managing  to  steady  myself,  and  so  arrest  my 
further  progress.  Drawing  breath,  I  was  amazed  to 
find  that  my  head  was  above  water,  although  the  wild 
roar  of  the  flood  was  deafening,  and  in  the  total  dark- 


248  abe  3£se  of  ITstar. 


ness  I  could  distinguish  nothing.  With  set  teeth  I 
strained  every  muscle,  and  after  several  futile  attempts, 
at  length  succeeded  in  scrambling  over  black,  slime- 
covered  stones  beyond  reach  of  the  roaring  torrent 
rushing  down  to  mysterious  subterranean  depths. 
Strangely  enough,  the  air  seemed  fresher  than  outside 
in  the  lake,  for  here,  in  the  heart  of  the  rock,  there  ap- 
peared to  be  ventilation.  This  discovery  renewed  my 
hopes.  The  aperture  that  admitted  air  would  prove  a 
means  of  egress  from  that  dark,  loathsome  place,  if 
only  I  could  discover  it.  Though  still  giddy  from  the 
effects  of  the  whirling  waters,  I  rose  slowly  to  my  feet, 
and  found  that  I  could  stand  upright.  With  eager 
fingers  outstretched  before  me  I  felt  my  way  carefully 
onward  over  the  rocks,  rendered  slippery  by  the  sul- 
phurous deposits  of  ages.  In  fear  and  trepidation  lest 
I  should  slip  and  fall  into  some  yawning  fissure,  I  nev- 
ertheless groped  on  up  a  steady  incline  until  suddenly 
my  eyes  caught  a  faint  but  welcome  glimmer  of  gray 
light. 

Towards  this  I  stumbled  on,  falling  once  upon  my 
hands  and  severely  grazing  them,  but  taking  no  heed 
of  the  accident  in  my  breathless  eagerness  to  discover 
some  means  of  escape.  I  stood  facing  the  mute  dark- 
ness, all  mystery,  and  gloom. 

Clambering  on  over  some  rough  boulders,  and  pass- 
ing between  the  great  rocks  that  had  fallen  so  near  to 
one  another  that  it  was  with  difficulty  I  squeezed  be- 
tween them,  I  at  length  found  myself  in  an  enormous 
cavern,  from  the  vaulted  roof  of  which  depended  gigan- 
tic stalactites,  while  high  up,  and  inaccessible,  was  an 
aperture  that  admitted  light  and  air,  but,  in  front  of 
me,  all  was  a  black,  impenetrable  darkness.  The 
great  place  had,  undoubtedly,  been  formed  by  the 
action  of  the  water,  but  the  process  had  involved  an 


TKHbere  Dwelt  tbe  Bevourer.  249 

enormous  length  of  time,  and  now  the  course  of  the 
subterranean  stream  had  been  diverted  by  some  up- 
heaval. 

With  the  evil-smelling  waters  dripping  from  my 
ragged  gandoura,  I  stood  gazing  around  the  great,  nat- 
ural chamber  in  wonderment.  Was  this  the  cavern  de- 
scribed in  the  legends  as  the  entrance  to  the  Land  of 
the  No  Return  ?  the  dwelling-place  of  the  savage  rep- 
tile that  acted  as  janitor  ?  My  eyes  were  fixed  upon 
the  Cimmerian  gloom  beyond,  for  I  feared  to  come 
face  to  face  with  some  unknown  and  uncanny  tenant 
of  that  chamber,  where  my  timid  footsteps  echoed 
away  into  the  impenetrable  blackness,  in  which  every 
sound  became  exaggerated,  and  every  object  weirdly 
distorted. 

The  sides  of  the  cavern  were  apparently  of  rough, 
black  granite,  but  in  the  gray  light  that  fell  across 
the  place,  the  long  crystals  of  fantastic  shape  glis- 
tened and  shone  with  the  brilliance  of  diamonds,  and 
the  floor,  rough  and  uneven,  was  formed  of  huge 
boulders,  that  had  evidently  been  tossed  hither  and 
thither  by  the  violent  volcanic  eruption  that  had 
altered  the  angle  of  the  strata  outside.  Little  rivulets 
flowed  over  the  floor,  cutting  deep  channels  in  the 
stones,  where  blind  and  colorless  crayfish  of  enormous 
size,  and  of  unknown  type,  slowly  crept,  while,  disport- 
ing themselves  in  the  water,  were  strange,  finny  deni- 
zens of  the  subterranean  river.  On  examination,  I 
found  they  had  no  eyes,  and  had  lost  the  coloration 
characteristic  of  their  outer-world  relatives,  by  reason 
of  passing  their  whole  time  in  total  darkness.  There 
were  also  great,  gray  toads,  and  fat,  slowly-moving 
lizards,  alike  sightless  and  uncanny.  From  where  I 
stood,  the  distant,  roaring  waters  sounded  like  the  con- 
tinual, monotonous  moaning  of  the  storm-wind,  and  it 


Gbe  J6se  of 


was  with  failing  heart  that  I  proceeded  with  my  explo- 
rations, for  I  well  knew  that  to  reach  the  exit  high 
above  was  utterly  impossible. 

Without  food  or  fresh  water,  I  had  been  drawn  into 
that  great  cavern  by  the  whirlpool  and  entombed. 
Tiamo  and  Yakul,  watching  for  me  to  rise  to  the  sur- 
face, and  finding  that  I  had  utterly  disappeared,  would, 
I  knew,  conclude  that  I  had  been  drowned  ;  and  the 
dwarf,  acting  upon  my  instructions,  would  return  to 
Kano,  bearing  the  sad  tidings  to  Azala.  Alas  !  I  could 
not  communicate  with  them.  In  my  helplessness  I 
cried  aloud  unto  Allah,  the  Most  High,  to  show  me  the 
right  path,  but  my  wild  wail  only  echoed  through  the 
hollow  cavern,  like  the  mocking  voice  of  Azrael. 

Under  the  great  opening,  that  was  overshadowed  by 
a  huge  boulder,  but  into  which  blew  fresh  air  in  stormy 
gusts,  showing  that  near  the  spot  the  rocks  were  open 
to  the  sky.  I  stood  in  full  consciousness  that  could  I 
but  climb  to  that  altitude  I  should  be  enabled  to  enter 
the  forbidden  land.  Yet  all  thought  of  gaining  that 
exit  had  to  be  abandoned.  Even  if  I  could  scale  the 
steep  wall  of  the  cavern,  to  reach  the  opening  in  its 
roof  was  impossible. 

Here  was  yet  another  barrier  between  myself  and  the 
unknown. 

Having  carefully  surveyed  the  cavern  to  right  and 
left,  I  went  forward  at  last,  clambering  over  great, 
sharp  stones  that  hurt  my  feet  and  grazed  my  elbows, 
and  splashing  into  deep  black  pools,  until,  passing  be- 
yond the  circle  of  light  towards  the  portion  of  the 
strange  place  that  remained  in  total  darkness,  my  eager 
eyes  suddenly  caught  sight  of  a  portion  of  the  black 
wall  of  the  cave  that  had  evidently  been  rendered  flat 
and  smooth  by  the  hand  of  man,  and  upon  it,  deeply 
graven  in  the  stone,  but  now  half-obliterated  by  Time's 


Wbere  Dwelt  tbe  Devourer.  251 

effacing  finger,  was  a  wall-picture,  the  extraordinary 
character  of  which  held  me  amazed,  petrified. 

Over  the  strange,  fantastic  outlines  my  eyes  trav- 
elled, deciphering  the  ancient  scene  it  was  intended  to 
represent.  An  exclamation  of  amazement  involuntarily 
escaped  my  parched  lips,  for  it  furnished  me  with  the 
first  clue  to  the  mystery  I  was  striving  to  elucidate. 
It  told  me  of  things  of  which  I  had  never  before 
dreamed. 

Truly,  I  had  struggled  through  the  natural,  and  hith- 
erto impassable  barrier  between  the  known  world  and 
that  unknown,  and  was  now  actually  on  the  threshold  of 
a  land  of  a  thousand  wonders. 

The  earnest,  appealing  words  Azala  had  uttered, 
when  requesting  me  to  seek  the  truth,  recurred  to  me, 
and,  as  I  gazed  upon  these  outlines,  limned  upon  the 
rock-tablet  by  hands  that  ages  ago  had  fallen  to  dust, 
I  felt  myself  on  the  verge  of  a  discovery  even  more 
extraordinary  than  any  my  wildest  thoughts  had  ever 
framed. 

The  detail  of  the  mysterious  picture  was  amazing. 
Its  art  was  unique — the  art  of  a  cultured,  luxurious 
civilization  which  had  long  been  forgotten,  even  in  the 
age  when  our  lord  Mahomet  lived — but  in  it  was  one 
feature  so  curious  and  remarkable  that  its  sight  held 
me  breathless,  agape,  transfixed. 

The  tablet,  fashioned  from  the  solid  rock,  was  of 
great  extent,  with  life-sized  figures  in  bas-relief,  sculp- 
tured with  consummate  skill,  and  as  soon  as  my  eyes 
caught  sight  of  it  I  recognized  its  great  antiquarian 
value.  The  study  of  forgotten  nations  had  always  at- 
tracted me  from  boyhood.  Indeed,  I  had  followed  the 
example  set  by  my  father,  who  was  perhaps  the  best- 
known  antiquarian  among  the  Arabs  of  Algeria,  and 
was  frequently  sought  out  by  travellers  interested  in 


252  Gbe  Ege  of  flstat. 

the  relics  of  bygone  ages.  While  I  was  still  a  lad,  he, 
at  that  time  living  in  Constantine,  met  an  Englishman 
named  Layard,  who  came  to  examine  the  inscriptions 
at  the  Bab-el-Djabia  and  the  ruins  at  Sidi  Mecid,  and 
subsequently  embraced  the  opportunity  of  accompany- 
ing him  through  Kurdistan  and  Mesopotamia  as  in- 
terpreter. Afterwards,  he  assisted  in  the  excavations 
on  the  sites  of  ancient  Babylon  and  Nineveh,  where 
many  wonderful  archaeological  treasures  were  brought 
to  light.  He  was  present  when  the  great  winged  bull 
was  discovered  beneath  the  mound  of  Nimroud,  and  on 
account  of  the  keen  interest  he  took  in  the  various 
sculptures  unearthed,  and  his  ability  to  sketch  them, 
he  was  promoted  to  be  one  of  the  Englishman's  chief 
assistants.  Thus,  from  the  first  great  discovery  of  As- 
syrian remains,  my  father  had  been  enabled  to  study 
them,  and  when  he  returned  home  four  years  later,  he 
brought  with  him  many  copies  of  strange  cuneiform 
inscriptions,  and  drawings  of  curious  sculptures,  all  of 
which  interested  me  intensely.  From  him  I  thus  de- 
rived my  knowledge  of  the  inscriptions  of  Babylonia, 
imperfect  though  it  might  be,  but  yet  of  sufficient  ex- 
tent to  enable  me  to  discern  the  Arabic  equivalents  of 
the  strange  lines  of  arrowheads  graven  upon  this  rock, 
and  forming  part  of  the  picture  I  had  so  unexpectedly 
discovered.  While  at  college  in  Algiers,  I  had  eagerly 
devoured  the  few  books  in  French,  explaining  the  mon- 
uments of  Babylonia,  and  in  London  had  continued  the 
study,  by  that  means  adding  to  the  knowledge  I  had 
already  gained  under  the  tuition  of  my  father.  Few 
sons  of  Al-Islam  are  archaeologists,  but,  as  with  my 
father,  so  also  with  me,  the  study  had  been  a  hobby, 
and  on  many  occasions  the  French  professors  had  ex- 
pressed surprise  at  the  extent  of  my  knowledge  of  that 
strange  language  known  as  cuneiform. 


TKflbere  2>welt  tbe  2>evourer.  253 

By  t'he  dress  and  physiognomy  of  the  figures  por- 
trayed upon  the  rock-tablet,  I  at  once  discerned  they 
were  not  ancient  Egyptian,  as  I  at  first  believed,  but 
Assyrian.  The  general  arrangement  of  the  picture 
showed  it  to  be  a  record  of  similar  character  to  those 
found  in  the  wonderful  buried  palaces  of  Nineveh  and 
Babylon. 

In  the  faint  glimmer  of  light  I  stood  straining  my 
eyes  upon  this  silent  record  of  a  forgotten  age. 
The  first  object  I  distinguished  was  a  winged  circle  at 
the  right-hand  corner  ;  the  emblem  of  the  Babylonian 
supreme  deity.  Below,  in  a  chariot  drawn  by  three 
handsomely-caparisoned  horses,  were  three  warriors  in 
coats  of  mail,  one  being  in  the  act  of  discharging  an 
arrow  at  the  enemy,  one  driving,  and  the  third  shield- 
ing his  companions.  The  trappings  of  the  horses,  and 
the  decorations  of  the  chariot  itself  consisted  of  stars 
and  other  sacred  devices,  while  at  the  side  was  sus- 
pended a  quiver  full  of  arrows,  and  the  helmets  of 
the  warriors  showed  them  to  belong  to  the  early  Baby- 
lonian period.  Following  the  chariot  was  a  eunuch  on 
foot,  with  a  bow  over  his  shoulder,  a  quiver  slung  be- 
hind, and  bearing  in  his  hand  a  kind  of  mace. 

He  was  represented  attired  in  a  dress  ornamented 
richly  with  gold  and  heavy  fringe,  while  his  upper  gar- 
ment was  apparently  a  golden  breastplate,  across 
which  showed  the  band  by  which  the  quiver  was  sus- 
pended. He  wore  no  head-dress,  and  his  feet  were 
bare,  but  his  position  and  bearing  denoted  that  he  was 
the  servant  of  a  monarch.  Behind  him  there  was 
depicted  a  chariot,  not  so  gorgeously  decorated  as 
the  first,  drawn  by  two  horses  and  led  by  two  men, 
probably  eunuchs.  Over  the  horses'  heads  rose  high 
plumes,  three  in  number,  tassels  fell  over  their  fore- 
heads and  hung  around  their  necks,  together  with 


254  Gbe  fise  of  ffstar. 

rosettes,  engraved  beads  and  the  sacred  star  ;  their 
tails  were  bound  in  the  centre  by  ribbons,  and  sus- 
pended from  the  axle  of  the  chariot  was  a  large  tassel. 
Standing  behind,  as  if  already  passed  by  the  expedi- 
tion, the  sacred  tree  was  elaborately  and  tastefully 
portrayed,  the  tree  bearing  a  large  number  of  those 
mystic  flowers  that  are  so  prominent  a  feature  in  early 
Babylonian  decoration,  showing  that  the  dwellers  within 
that  wonderful  city  were  possessed  of  highly-refined 
taste.  Below  was  a  picture  of  two  scribes,  writing 
down  the  number  of  heads  and  the  amount  of  spoil, 
while  the  tablet  behind  them  was  occupied  by  many 
lines  of  graven  arrowheads. 

Underneath  was  pictured,  in  graphic  detail,  a  peace- 
ful, religious  procession  of  gods,  borne  on  the  shoulders 
of  warriors.  Each  figure  was  carried  by  four  men  :  the 
first  was  that  of  a  female  seated  on  a  throne,  holding  in 
one  hand  a  ring,  in  the  other  a  kind  of  fan,  and  on  the 
top  of  her  square,  horned  cap  was  a  star.  The  next 
figure  was  also  that  of  a  female,  wearing  a  similar  cap, 
seated  in  a  chair,  and  holding  in  her  left  hand  a  ring  ; 
she  was  also  carrying  something  in  her  right  hand,  but 
its  form  I  could  not  distinguish.  The  third  figure 
puzzled  me  considerably  ;  it  was  much  smaller  in  its 
proportions  than  those  preceding  it,  was  half  concealed 
in  a  case  or  box,  and  had  a  ring  in  the  left  hand  ; 
while  the  fourth  was  that  of  a  man  in  the  act  of  walk- 
ing, holding  in  one  hand  a  thunderbolt,  and  the  other 
an  axe,  evidently  the  Babylonian  deity,  Belus  or  Baal. 
Upon  the  identity  of  the  other  gods  I  was  undecided, 
but  in  the  right-hand  corner  of  the  tablet  was  sculptured 
a  figure  of  the  goddess  Istar,  the  Assyrian  Venus, 
draped  and  standing  erect  on  a  lion,  crowned  with  a 
mural  coronet,  upon  which  was  a  star,  denoting  her 
divinity.  In  one  hand  she  was  represented  as  bearing 


THflbere  Dwelt  tbe  Devouter.  255 

the  moon,  and  the  other  grasped  two  objects  which 
had  first  attracted  my  attention  and  riveted  my  gaze. 
She  was  holding  out  two  serpents,  entwined  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  form  the  puzzling  device  with  which  my 
breast  was  branded — the  Mark  of  the  Asps  ! 

Taking  a  small,  flat  stone,  I  stood  on  tiptoe  and  care- 
fully scraped  away  the  dirt  of  ages  from  that  portion 
of  the  sculpture,  finding  underneath  the  two  serpents 
engraven  in  minute  detail.  Then  I  scraped  the  dress 
of  the  eunuch  and  found  the  same  symbol  there  de- 
picted. Save  in  one  or  two  instances,  the  ages  that 
had  passed  since  the  great  rock-tablet  had  been  hewn 
had  left  it  untouched.  The  deeper  portions  of  the  pic- 
ture were,  however,  filled  with  dark  gray  moss  and  the 
accumulated  dirt  of  centuries,  but  with  the  aid  of  the 
stone  I  commenced  to  scrape  the  inscriptions  and  very 
soon  succeeded  in  so  far  cleaning  them  that  the  lines 
were  decipherable. 

It  was  apparent  that  the  intention  of  the  sculptor 
had  been  to  portray,  at  the  base  of  the  picture,  the 
procession  of  gods  being  carried  into  the  Temple  of 
Istar,  or  Astarte,  but  the  reason  she  bore  in  her  hand 
the  entwined  serpents  was  a  mystery  inscrutable. 
Upon  the  walls  of  the  palaces  at  Nimroud,  many  repre- 
sentations of  the  goddess,  bearing  in  her  hand  a  single 
serpent,  had  been  discovered,  but  never  before  had  she 
been  found  pictured  with  the  mystic  symbol  that  had 
been  the  problem  of  my  life. 

I  stood  before  the  dark  face  of  rock,  speechless  in 
wonderment,  for  here,  as  Azala  had  predicted,  I  had 
actually  made  a  discovery,  amazing  and  bewildering. 
The  mark  that  we  both  bore  upon  our  breasts  had  for 
ages  remained  engraven  there,  a  symbol  of  forgotten 
deity,  a  device,  no  doubt,  held  in  reverence  and  awe 
by  a  civilization  now  vanished. 


256  Gbe  Ege  of  Istar. 

That  vast,  weird  cavern,  filled  with  the  monotonous 
roar  of  tumbling  waters,  inhabited  by  blind,  unknown 
animals  and  reptiles,  yet  rendered  almost  fairylike  by 
its  wonderful  stalactites,  which  glittered  whenever  a 
shaft  of  pale  light  caught  them,  was  indeed  peopled  by 
ghosts  of  the  past.  By  whose  hand  had  those  mar- 
vellous pictures  been  chiselled  ?  By  whose  order  had 
that  tablet  been  prepared  ?  The  dark,  gloomy  place 
was,  indeed,  well  named  the  Gate  of  the  Land  of  the 
No  Return.  Was  I  not  actually  within  the  Rock  of 
the  Great  Sin  ?  What,  I  wondered,  was  the  nature  of 
the  great  sin  to  which  the  rock  had  remained  a  mute 
witness  ? 

With  arms  folded,  I  stood  gazing  upon  the  sculptured 
stone,  long  and  earnestly,  thinking,  with  affection,  of 
the  graceful,  trustful  woman  who  loved  me,  and  for 
whose  sake  I  had  struggled  to  set  foot  upon  ground 
that  for  ages  had  remained  untrodden  by  man.  Even 
at  that  moment  I  knew,  alas  !  that  her  slave,  Tiamo, 
would  be  on  his  way  back  to  Kano  to  impart  the  news 
of  my  death,  and  I  myself  was  powerless.  To  return 
was  impossible.  I  was  compelled  to  proceed. 

But  if  I  failed  to  discover  any  exit  ?  The  dread 
thought  chilled  my  heart.  Perhaps,  after  all,  I  had 
been  entombed,  and  my  fate  would  be  death  from  star- 
vation. 

With  only  an  impenetrable  darkness  beyond,  the  out- 
look was  by  no  means  reassuring ;  nevertheless,  I 
struggled  desperately  to  stifle  my  apprehensions,  de- 
termined to  decipher,  as  far  as  my  knowledge  served 
me,  the  cuneiform  inscription,  which  I  anticipated 
might  explain  the  mystery  of  the  symbol  borne  by  the 
goddess  Istar,  whose  worship  formed  such  a  historical 
feature  in  the  religion  of  Babylon. 

As  I  gazed  around  the  dull,  dispiriting,  natural  cham- 


TKflbere  Dwelt  tbe  2>evourer.  257 

her,  there  crept  over  my  heart  a  terrible  sense  of  lone- 
liness, such  as  1  have  never  before  experienced.  Seized 
by  an  appalling,  indescribable  dread,  I  shuddered. 

Next  second,  however,  I  set  my  teeth  firmly,  arguing 
within  myself  that  upon  my  coolness  my  escape  might 
depend,  and  then  commenced  a  careful  study  of  the 
parallel  lines  of  chiselled  characters.  For  fully  an 
hour  I  was  engaged  in  scraping  and  deciphering  each 
word,  finding  their  study  so  fascinating,  that  I  actually 
forgot  that  I  was  alone  in  that  wonderful  natural 
prison.  A  considerable  time  elapsed  before  I  could 
discover  the  commencement  of  the  inscription,  but 
having  done  so,  I  found  that,  with  the  exception  of 
one  or  two  small  places,  where  the  action  of  time  upon 
the  stone  had  caused  it  to  fall  in  scales  and  thus  efface 
the  words,  I  could  decipher  it  sufficiently  well  to  ascer- 
tain its  purport. 

The  words  I  read  caused  me  to  stand  aghast.  The 
statement,  quaintly  expressed  and  sometimes  vague, 
staggered  belief.  Commencing  about  the  centre  of  the 
tablet,  it  read  as  follows  : — 

"  RULER  OF  THE  WORLD  AND  BUILDER  OF  BABYLON, 
THE  CITY  OF  CITIES,  I,  SEMIRAMIS,  DAUGHTER  OF 
THE  MOON-GOD,  SIN,  WHO  CONQUERED  THE  HOSTS  OF 
MY  ENEMIES,  WHO  IS  NEVER  TRIUMPHED  OVER  BY  MY 
FOES,  WHO  PUT  MY  CAPTIVES  TO  THE  SWORD  AND 
OFFERED  SACRIFICES,  CAUSED  THIS  RECORD  TO  BE 
WRITTEN  BY  NEBU-SUM-ISKUM,  MY  SCRIBE,  IN  THE 
MONTH  ELUL,  DAY  l8TH,  YEAR  25TH.  SEMIRAMIS, 
QUEEN  OF  BABYLON. 

"  The  record  of  my  warriors,  the  battle-shout  of  my  fighting, 
the  submission  of  enemies  hostile,  whom  Anu  and  Rimmon  to 
destruction  have  given,  on  this  my  tablet  and  my  foundation- 
stone  have  I  written.  The  tablets  of  my  father  duly  I  cleaned ; 


258  Gbe  Eye  of  Istar. 

victims  I  sacrificed  ;  to  their  places  I  restored  for  future  days, 
for  a  day  long  hereafter,  for  "whatsoever  queen  hereafter 
reigneth.  When  the  temple  of  Anu  and  Rimmon,  the  gods 
great,  my  lords,  its  walls  grow  old  and  palaces  decay,  their 
ruins  may  she  renew,  my  tablets  and  my  foitndation-stones 
duly  may  she  cleanse,  victims  may  she  slay,  to  their  places 
may  she  restore,  and  her  name  with  mine  may  she  write. 
Like  myself,  may  Anu  and  Rimmon,  the  great  gods,  in  sound- 
ness of  heart  and  conquest  in  battle  bountifully  keep  her.  He 
who  my  inscriptions  and  my  foundation-stones  shall  conceal, 
shall  hide,  to  the  water  shall  lay,  to  the  fire  shall  burn,  in  dust 
shall  cover  in  a  home  underground,  a  place,  not  seen  for  inter- 
pretation shall  set,  the  name  written  shall  erase  and  his  own 
name  shall  write,  and  an  attack  evil  shall  devise  ;  he  also, 
from  the  world  I  have  left,  who  seeketh  to  enter  this  my  king- 
dom called  Ea,  the  Land  of  the  Lord  of  Wisdom,  may  Anu 
and  Assur,  the  gods  great,  my  lords,  strongly  injure  him,  and 
with  a  curse  grievous  may  they  curse  him.  May  he  wither 
beneath  the  touch  of  Niffer,  lord  of  the  Ghost  Land,  his  king- 
dom may  the  gods  dissipate,  and  may  he  be  rooted  up  and  des- 
troyed from  out  of  his  country  ;  the  armies  of  his  lordship  may 
they  devour,  his  weapons  may  they  break,  the  destruction  of  his 
army  may  they  cause ;  in  the  presence  of  his  enemies  wholly 
may  they  cause  him  to  dwell ;  may  the  Air-god  with  pestilence 
and  destruction  his  land  cut  off ;  want  of  crops,  famine  and 
corpses  against  his  land  may  he  lay  ;  against  the  sovereignty 
of  his  full  power  may  he  speak  ;  his  name,  his  seed  in  the  land 
may  he  destroy.  .  .  . 

"  To  extend  my  empire  I  left  Ninyas,  my  son,  to  govern 
Babylon,  and  went  forth  with  my  legions  into  the  land  of  the 
Ethiopians,  and  there  overthrew  mine  enemies,  of  captives 
taken  forty  thousand,  and  of  oxen  twenty  thousand,  and  much 
spoils  of  gold  and  silver  and  precious  stones.  And  the  number 
of  the  slaughtered  men  amounted  to  thirty  thousand.  Even 
while  my  warriors  were  countiug  their  great  spoils  came  there 
unto  them  news  astounding,  that  over  Babylon  my  son,  Ninyas, 
had  proclaimed  himself  king,  whereupon  my  army  that  I  had 
led  rose  up  against  me,  their  qtieen,  and  marched  northward, 
through  the  land  of  the  Egyptians,  to  the  banks  of  the  river 


iJdbere  Dwelt  tbe  2>evourer.  259 

where  I  built  Babylon  and  constructed  my  gardens  that  over- 
hang and  are  unsurpassed.  May  they  enter  the  regions  of 
corruption,  the  dwelling  of  the  deity  Irkalla :  may  dust  be 
their  food,  their  victuals  mttd  ;  may  the  light  they  not  see,  and 
in  a  terrible  darkness  dwell.  Of  my  legions  and  my  slaves  as 
many  as  have  remained  loyal  unto  me,  numbering  twenty  thou- 
sand, renounced  their  citizenship,  and  after  wandering  and 

fighting  for  twenty  moons,  accompanied  me  unto  this  place,  the 
road  whose  way  is  without  return,  to  the  house  whose  entrance  is 
without  exit,  there  to  found  a  country  that  I  have  named  Ea, 
and  raised  up  my  throne  in  a  city  which  standeth  from  this 
Rock  of  Sin,  the  Moon-god,  fifteen  marches  towards  the  sun- 
rise. .  .  .  Here  have  I  offered  sacrifices  to  the  Sun-god  and  to 
Anu,  and  set  up  this  my  record.  To  this,  my  land,  none  may 
.  enter  and  none  may  leave  on  pain  of  a  death  terrible  and  swift. 
Upon  him  who  breaketh  this  my  commandment  may  the  wrath 
of  the  Air-god  most  avenging  fall,  may  he  be  smitten  with  pes- 
tilence, may  his  limbs  rot  and  drop  asunder,  and  may  he  fall 
captive  in  the  hands  of  the  great  Devourer  of  the  Living.  .  .  . 
Lo  !  I  am  Astarte,  worshipped  by  men  in  the  temples  of  Baby- 
lon, and  the  star  is  set  upon  my  head.  This  my  commandment 
have  1 written  here,  at  the  Gate  of  the  Land  of  the  No  Return, 
which  is  the  only  entrance  to  the  country  without  exit ;  the 
country  in  which  I  have  raised  the  city  called  Ea,  the  gates  of 
which  are  of  brass,  and  the  magnificence  of  which  sitrpasseth 
even  Babylon  which  I  built,  and  iipon  which  my  curse  hath 
now  fallen.  These  are  the  words  of  Semiramis,  the  queen 
whom  men  call  I  star,  daughter  of  the  Moon-god,  the  conqueror 
of  all  enemies,  who  founded  the  Kingdom  of  Ea,  to  which  men 

from  the  world  we  have  left  may  not  enter,  neither  may  a 
single  man,  woman  or  child  among  my  subjects  leave.  Verily, 
this  my  kingdom  is  the  Land  of  the  No  Return,  and  I,  Semtr- 
amis,  who  ruled  over  Babylon,  and  who,  as  I  star,  ruleth  all  men 
throughout  the  world,  have  here  built  my  palace  and  established 
my  foundation-stones  and  set  up  my  monuments.  This  throne 
have  I,  the  goddess-queen  of  the  world  and  of  the  heavens, 
erected.  He  who  seeketh  to  enter  my  forbidden  kingdom,  to  tear 
it  out  or  overthrow  it,  so  shall  he  and  his  family  be  torn  out 
and  be  overthrown,  and  from  his  place  shall  he  be  uprooted. 


260  Gbe  EEC  of  Hetar. 


And  I  have  set  up  this  throne  in  the  strength  of  the  Sun-god 
Shamas,  lord  of  light,  and  driver  away  of  evil,  to  whom  I 
have  offered  sacrifices  and  burnt-offerings  abundant.  These 
words  I  speak." 

Thrice  I  deciphered  this  strange  record  from  begin- 
ning to  end,  to  reassure  myself  that  my  eyes  did  not 
deceive  me,  until  at  length  I  became  convinced  that  I 
had  elucidated  its  meaning  correctly  ;  that  I  was  actu- 
ally on  the  threshold  of  the  Land  of  the  No  Return  ; 
that  could  I  only  escape  from  my  subterranean  prison, 
I  might  actually  discover  the  hidden,  unknown  and 
mysterious  Kingdom  of  Ea,  founded  by  the  great  queen, 
who,  ages  ago,  built  the  most  wonderful  city  of  cities. 

I  stretched  forth  my  hands  above  my  head,  and  with 
a  loud  voice  implored  the  aid,  protection  and  guidance 
of  the  One.  But  my  words  only  came  back  to  me  from 
the  dark,  damp  recesses  of  the  cavern,  deep,  distinct 
and  dismal.  There  was  no  exit. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE  LAND  OF  THE  NO  RETURN. 

WITH  strained  eyes  and  failing  heart,  I  gazed  around 
the  gloomy,  sepulchral  cavern.  High  above,  a  faint 
gray  light  glimmered  far  beyond  my  reach,  while  before 
me  was  only  an  impenetrable  darkness,  wherein  I  feared 
to  venture,  lest  I  should  fall  into  some  abyss.  The 
curious  wall-picture  looked  weird  in  the  faint  rays,  and 
the  long  row  of  warriors,  bearing  the  figures  of  their 
strange  gods,  presented  a  fantastic,  but  dismal,  appear- 
ance. Once  again  I  stood  gazing  at  the  strange  sculp- 
ture, fascinated  by  the  device  of  the  asps,  the  strange 


Gbe  Xanfc  of  tbe  Ho  Vetum.  261 

symbol  that  had  linked  Azala's  destiny  with  mine,  and 
the  meaning  of  which  it  was  my  sole  object  to  discover. 

Beyond,  in  the  undiscovered  Land  of  the  No  Return, 
an  explanation,  might  await  me,  if  only  I  could  reach 
that  mysterious  region  ;  but,  as  again  I  gazed  about 
me,  I  could  not  rid  myself  of  a  horrible  presage  that 
the  rushing,  poisonous  waters  had  drawn  me  to  my 
doom.  I  had  taken  in  every  detail  of  that  scene  sculp- 
tured in  the  black  rock  with  such  minuteness  that,  if 
called  upon,  I  could  have  made  a  drawing  of  it  with 
accuracy,  for  therein  lay  the  first  clue  to  the  mystery. 
This  remarkable  record  of  Semiramis,  besides  putting 
an  end  to  the  doubts  which  for  ages  had  existed  re- 
garding her  deposition  as  Queen  of  Babylon,  also  an- 
nounced the  establishment  of  a  new  colony,  of  which 
the  world,  up  to  that  moment,  had  gained  no  knowledge. 
Historians,  antiquarians,  professors,  imams  and  wise 
men  of  Al-Islam  had  for  centuries  been  puzzled  by  the 
strange  legends,  but  had  never  penetrated  the  veil  of 
mystery.  It  had  remained  for  me  to  unearth  a  record 
of  the  highest  interest,  which  for  ages  had  lain  hidden 
within  its  natural  tomb.  Deciphering  those  chipped 
lines  of  curious  arrowheads,  I  felt  myself  on  the  thresh- 
old of  a  world  unknown,  and  trembled  lest  I  should 
encounter  any  uncanny  or  undreamed-of  object  in  that 
wonderful  chamber  below  the  earth. 

As  I  stepped  across  the  sulphur-stained  rocks,  in 
order  to  examine  the  opposite  wall  of  the  cavern,  my 
foot  caught  some  object,  and  stooping,  I  picked  it  up. 
It  was  a  short,  straight  sword  of  very  ancient  pattern, 
still  in  its  scabbard,  with  a  wonderfully  wrought  cross- 
hilt  of  gold  thickly  encrusted  with  dirt.  I  endeavored 
to  draw  the  weapon,  but  failed,  for  the  blade  was  firmly 
rusted  in  its  sheath,  therefore,  finding  it  useless  and 
only  an  encumbrance,  I  was  compelled  to  cast  it  aside. 


262  Gbe  JE^e  of  flstar. 


From  where  I  stood  I  gazed  upon  the  curious  monu- 
ment of  a  momentous  but  forgotten  period,  and  the 
sight  of  the  strange  symbol  brought  vividly  to  my 
mind  my  faithful  promise  to  Azala,  and  my  dead 
mother's  injunction  to  prosecute  the  search  after  truth. 
I  remembered  that  upon  the  result  of  my  mission 
Azala's  happiness,  perhaps  even  her  life,  depended  ; 
therefore,  with  sudden  resolve,  I  saw  that  to  escape  by 
the  way  I  had  entered  was  impossible  ;  to  penetrate 
the  rayless  darkness  beyond  was  the  only  chance  re- 
maining to  me. 

At  first  I  shuddered  at  the  suggestion,  not  because  I 
entertained  any  foolish  superstition,  but  the  place  was 
altogether  so  weird  and  extraordinary  that  I  deemed  it 
more  than  probable  I  should  witness  some  terrible 
sight,  or  encounter  some  strange  being  unknown  to 
our  world.  Unarmed,  clothed  only  in  a  wet  and  ragged 
gandoura,  but  with  my  little  string  of  charms  I  had 
worn  since  childhood  still  around  my  neck,  I  stood 
breathless  in  hesitation. 

For  Azala's  sake  I  had  plunged  into  the  Unknown, 
and  I  decided  that  to  secure  our  mutual  happiness  I 
must  face  the  consequences,  which  meant  the  explora- 
tion of  that  dark,  sepulchral  pit.  Already  Tiamo  was 
on  his  way  to  her  to  impart  news  which  I  knew  would 
cause  her  despair.  Dire  consequences  might  follow. 
Therefore  I  knew  it  was  imperative  that  I  should,  in 
order  that  her  grief  might  not  be  unduly  prolonged, 
lose  no  time  in  seeking  the  truth  and  returning  to  her. 
Thus,  at  last,  after  considerable  trepidation  and  hesita- 
tion, I  strove  to  overcome  my  fears,  and  decided  to 
proceed  with  my  investigations,  and  search  in  the  dark- 
ness for  some  exit. 

Many  were  the  perils  I  had  faced  fearlessly  during 
my  adventurous  career  as  one  of  the  Ansar  of  the 


Xand  of  tbe  1fto  IReturn.  263 

Khalifa,  and  through  the  tedious  journey  in  search  of 
the  Land  of  the  No  Return,  but  never  in  the  darkest 
hours  had  I  experienced  such  abject,  indescribable  fear 
as  now  froze  my  heart  and  held  me  inanimate  and  power- 
less. I  clenched  my  hand,  and,  turning  my  eager  ear 
towards  the  invisible  portion  of  the  great  natural 
chamber,  listened.  But  I  could  detect  no  sound  beyond 
the  roaring  of  the  torrent ;  then,  with  a  sudden  de- 
termination to  penetrate  and  explore  the  place,  I  strode 
forward  into  the  very  bowels  of  the  earth,  entering  a 
darkness  that  could  almost  be  felt,  as  impenetrable,  in- 
deed, as  that  to  which  our  holy  Koran  tells  us  the 
tormented  dwellers  in  Al-Hotama  are  doomed. 

On,  with  both  hands  outstretched,  I  groped,  now 
tripping  in  the  fissures  cut  deeply  in  the  rock  by  the 
tiny  rivulets  which  seemed  to  traverse  the  floor  of  the 
cavern  in  every  direction,  now  floundering  through  a 
quagmire  of  slush  which  emitted  an  unpleasant,  sul- 
phurous odor,  often  cutting  my  feet  upon  the  sharp, 
jagged  rocks,  and  frequently  grazing  my  knees  and 
elbows.  But  I  was  too  excited  to  notice  pain.  Of  the 
size  or  extent  of  the  place  I  had  no  idea,  but,  having 
ventured  therein,  I  was  compelled  to  proceed,  and  con- 
tinued my  explorations,  penetrating  deeper  and  deeper 
into  the  tunnel-like  cave.  At  first  I  had  proceeded 
very  slowly  and  with  great  caution,  but  soon,  anxious 
to  ascertain  whether  exit  were  possible,  my  feet  hur- 
ried, and  I  stumbled  quickly  onward,  eager  to  discover 
the  extent  and  nature  of  the  honeycombed  labyrinth, 
fearing  lest,  after  all,  it  might  be  merely  a  cul-de-sac. 

I  was  actually  in  the  very  heart  of  the  giant  base  of 
the  Rock  of  the  Great  Sin,  the  wonderful  black,  tower- 
ing crag  which  had  only  existed  in  the  morning  mirage 
of  the  desert  and  in  the  legends  of  the  story-tellers 
throughout  the  Soudan.  Over  ground  that  foot  of  man 


264  £be  T&ve  of  Istar. 

had  not  trodden  for  ages  I  stumbled,  seeking  the  un- 
known alone,  unarmed,  and  in  darkness  appalling  and 
complete.  Reflection  brought  with  it  a  sense  of  im- 
pending danger,  an  evil  presage  that,  strive  how  I 
would,  I  could  not  get  rid  of  its  depressing  influence. 
Yet  the  calm  face  of  Azala,  with  her  dark,  serious, 
trusting  eyes  rose  before  me,  and  the  thought  con- 
tinued to  recur  to  me  that  for  her  sake  I  had  striven, 
and,  so  far,  been  successful.  Once  again  the  knowl- 
edge of  her  passionate  love  held  me  to  my  purpose ; 
once  again  I  pressed  forward  blindly  to  seek  the  knowl- 
edge that  for  all  time  had  been  withheld  from  man. 

On  I  went  through  the  everlasting  gloom,  clamber- 
ing over  the  rough,  uneven  rocks,  then  sinking  knee- 
deep  in  the  slimy  deposits  left  by  the  rivulets.  In  the 
impenetrable  darkness  of  the  noisome  place,  strange 
noises  startled  me  as  blind,  unseen  reptiles  escaped 
from  my  path,  plunging  into  the  water  with  a  splash, 
and  great  lizards  scuttled  to  their  holes  beneath  the 
stones. 

Between  giant  boulders,  which  had  apparently  fallen 
from  the  roof,  I  squeezed  myself,  climbing  over  high  bar- 
riers of  stone  and  creeping  on  all-fours  through  crevices 
that  were  all  but  impassable,  I  had  proceeded  for  more 
than  one  hour.  I  shouted,  but  the  distant  echoes 
above  and  around  showed  that  the  extent  of  the  gloomy 
place  was  bewildering,  and  so  complete  was  the  dark- 
ness that  the  terrible  dread  oppressing  me  became  in- 
tensified. Nevertheless,  one  important  fact  gave  me 
heart,  causing  me  to  persevere,  namely,  the  atmosphere 
was  not  poisonous,  showing  that  somewhere  in  that 
wonderful  grotto  air  was  admitted.  Where  there  was 
air  there  must  be  light,  I  argued,  and  where  light,  then 
means  of  exit.  Therefore  I  proceeded,  with  eyes 
strained  in  the  blackness  before  me,  hoping  each  mo- 


ILanfc  of  tbe  "Wo  IReturn.  265 

ment  to  discern  some  welcome  glimmer  of  the  blessed 
light  of  day.  But,  alas  !  although  my  wandering  foot- 
steps took  me  deeper  and  'deeper,  no  welcome  ray  was 
I  enabled  to  detect.  Had  I  but  a  torch,  my  progress 
would  have  been  more  rapid,  for  I  could  have  avoided 
sinking  into  those  sloughs  of  icy-cold  slush,  and  could 
have  stepped  across  the  water-courses  instead  of  stum- 
bling clumsily  into  them.  Half  the  horrors  surround- 
ing me  would  have  been  dispelled  if  my  path  had  been 
lighted  ;  but  when  I  had  stood  before  the  graven  pic- 
ture I  had  sought  carefully,  but  in  vain,  for  wood  that  I 
might  ignite  by  rubbing,  and  so  construct  a  flambeau. 
Compelled  to  plunge  into  the  impenetrable  gloom,  with- 
out light  or  means  to  defend  myself,  I  was  truly  in  un- 
enviable predicament. 

With  dogged  pertinacity  of  purpose,  engendered, 
perhaps,  by  the  knowledge  that  to  escape  from  that 
subterranean  chamber  was  imperative  if  I  did  not  seek 
starvation  and  death,  I  kept  on  until  my  legs  grew 
weary  and  almost  gave  way  beneath  me.  My  feet 
were  so  pained  by  the  sharp  stones  that  I  at  last  tore 
strips  from  my  gandoura  and  tied  them  up,  obtaining 
considerable  relief  thereby.  Then,  starting  forward 
again,  faint  and  hungry,  I  plodded  still  onward  towards 
the  dreaded  unknown.  Some  knowledge  of  the  enor- 
mous extent  of  the  place  may  be  gathered  from  the 
fact  that  for  fully  three  hours  I  had  proceeded,  when 
suddenly  an  incident  occurred  which  caused  me  to 
pull  up  quickly  and  stand  motionless,  not  daring  to 
move. 

Beads  of  perspiration  broke  upon  my  forehead  as  I 
realized  an  imminent  peril.  In  walking  I  had  accidently 
sent  some  pebbles  flying  before  me,  and  my  quick  ears 
had  discerned  that  they  had  struck  and  bounded  down 
into  some  abyss  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  Instantly 


266  Hbe  £se  of  Ustat. 


I  halted,  and  it  proved  a  stroke  of  good  fortune  that 
I  did  so,  for  on  going  upon  my  knees  and  carefully 
stretching  forth  my  hands,  I  was  horrified  to  discover 
myself  on  the  very  edge  of  a  yawning  chasm,  the 
depth  or  extent  of  which  it  was  impossible  to  deter- 
mine. 

Here,  then,  was  an  impassable  barrier  to  my  further 
progress  !  For  three  long  hours  I  had  struggled  to 
penetrate  the  horrible  place,  but  now,  in  despair,  I 
told  myself  that  all  had  been  in  vain. 

My  eager  fingers  felt  the  jagged  edge  of  the  abyss 
before  me.  Then,  lying  full  length  upon  the  damp, 
slimy  rock,  with  head  over  the  great  pit,  I  shouted  in 
order  to  ascertain  its  depth.  My  voice,  though  echoing 
above,  sounded  hollow  and  became  lost  in  the  depths 
below.  Groping  about,  I  discovered  a  stone  the  size 
of  my  fist,  and  hurling  it  over,  listened,  with  bated 
breath.  The  minutes  passed,  but  no  sound  rose. 
Again  I  threw  down  another  piece  of  rock,  but,  as 
before,  I  could  detect  no  noise  of  it  striking  the  bot- 
tom. The  chasm  was  unfathomable. 

Again,  taking  some  small  pebbles  worn  smooth  by 
the  action  of  the  water,  I  flung  them  a  considerable 
distance  into  the  darkness.  Apparently  they  struck 
the  rocks  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  terrible  pit,  for  I 
could  hear  them  bounding  down  from  crag  to  crag 
until  the  noise  became  so  faint  that  they  were  lost 
entirely.  Once  more  I  shouted,  but  my  voice  echoed 
not  in  that  vast,  immeasurable  abyss  that  had  evidently 
been  caused  by  the  same  great  upheaval  which  had, 
ages  before,  closed  the  entrance  to  the  cavern,  and 
formed  the  dreaded  Lake  of  the  Accursed.  Might  not 
the  exit  have  been  sealed  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
entrance  ?  The  suggestion  crossed  my  mind  and  held 
me  appalled. 


Xanfc  of  tbe  1Ro  "Return.  267 

Finding  myself  unable  to  proceed  further,  I  crept, 
still  upon  my  hands  and  knees,  along  near  the  edge  of 
the  chasm  for  a  considerable  distance,  until  at  last  I 
found,  to  my  delight,  that  it  extended  no  further,  and 
by  the  exercise  of  constant  caution  I  crawled  onward, 
length  by  length,  until  I  discovered,  by  casting  pebbles 
about,  that  I  had  passed  it.  Then  gladly,  with  a  feel- 
ing of  apprehension  lifted  from  my  heart,  I  rose  again, 
and  with  renewed  energy  continued  my  way. 

After  this  incident  I  took  every  precaution,  conse- 
quently my  progress  was  slow  and  painful.  The 
thought  of  how  narrowly  I  had  escaped  a  horrible 
death  caused  me  to  shudder,  nevertheless  my  eyes 
were  eager  to  discover  some  welcome  gleam  of  light 
and  hope.  During  yet  another  hour  I  struggled  for- 
ward over  ground  that  rose  gradually,  then  descended 
again  so  steeply,  until  I  began  to  fear  that  another 
chasm  lay  before.  My  fears,  however,  in  this  direction 
proved  groundless.  Yet,  as  I  proceeded,  the  little 
stream  seemed  to  increase  in  volume,  and  there  was  a 
damp,  noxious  smell  about  the  noisome  place  which 
gave  rise  to  a  belief  that,  after  all,  there  was  no  exit, 
and  that  the  cavern,  like  the  forbidden  land,  was  a  place 
whence,  if  once  entered,  there  was  no  return.  Just 
as  that  conviction  was  forced  strongly  upon  me,  I 
also  discovered  another  more  startling  fact,  which  ren- 
dered my  despair  complete,  and  told  me  plainly  that  in 
that  dwelling  of  the  Great  Devourer  I  should  find  my 
grave. 

My  progress  had  been  arrested  ;  my  hands  had  come 
into  contact  with  a  wall  of  rock  which  stretched  before 
me  on  either  side.  I  shouted,  and  the  unseen  rock 
gave  back  my  voice,  proving  that  I  had  gained  the  ex- 
treme end  of  the  cavern. 

Determined   to  thoroughly  investigate   this   abrupt 


268  Gbe  Ese  of  Istar. 


termination  of  the  place  before  seeking  an  exit  in 
another  direction,  I  crept  forward,  feeling  the  rough, 
rocky  wall  with  eager,  trembling  hands.  Having  pro- 
ceeded for  some  distance,  my  heart  suddenly  bounded 
with  excitement  as  I  discovered  another  outlet  beyond,  , 
and  eagerly  stumbled  forward,  still  in  impenetrable 
gloom.  All  the  strange  legends  and  tales  of  the  story- 
tellers I  had  heard  related  regarding  this  weird  place 
surged  through  my  mind,  and,  as  I  pressed  forward,  I 
admit  that  I  was  in  constant  fear  and  trepidation  lest 
I  should  meet,  face  to  face,  the  legendary  tenant  of  this 
limitless  subterranean  labyrinth,  the  terrible  being  re- 
ferred to  on  the  tablet  of  Semiramis  as  the  Great  De- 
vourer,  or  Guardian  of  the  Gate  of  the  Land  of  the 
No  Return. 

But  the  entrance  to  the  forbidden  land,  if  thus  it 
proved  to  be,  was  difficult  enough,  and  guarded  by  hor- 
rors and  pitfalls  sufficient  without  the  necessity  of  a 
janitor  such  as  that  described  so  luridly  by  tellers  of 
strange  romances  in  the  desert-camps.  Stumbling  on 
up  a  steep  incline  I  was  at  length  compelled  to  halt  to 
regain  breath.  Weakened  by  the  desperate  fight  I  had 
had  for  life  amid  the  roaring  torrent  which  had  sucked 
me  down,  fatigued  by  the  struggle  to  penetrate  the 
deep  recesses  of  the  cavern,  I  rested  for  a  few  mo- 
ments, my  head  reeling  and  my  legs  trembling  as  if  un- 
able to  support  my  body.  Suddenly  a  loud,  shrill  cry 
caused  me  to  start,  and  next  second  a  gust  of  air  was 
swept  into  my  face  by  the  flapping  of  enormous  wings. 
For  an  instant  I  felt  the  presence  of  some  uncanny  ob- 
ject near  me,  but  in  a  moment  it  had  gone,  and  when  I 
recovered  from  my  sudden  alarm,  I  knew  that  it  was 
some  great  bird  which  probably  had  its  nest  in  some 
deep  and  secret  crevice.  Its  shrill,  plaintive  cry 
echoed  among  the  vast  recesses,  but  grew  fainter  as  it 


TLanO  of  tbe  Bo  IReturn.  269 

flew  on  before  me.  My  sudden  terror  was  quickly  suc- 
ceeded by  feelings  of  satisfaction,  for  the  presence  of 
the  bird  was  sufficient  proof  that  there  was  an  exit  in 
the  vicinity. 

With  heart  quickened  by  excitement  I  once  again 
moved  forward,  gained  the  summit  of  the  incline, 
clambered  quickly  over  some  gigantic  masses  of  fallen 
rock,  and  at  last,  when  I  had  mounted  to  the  top  of 
what  at  first  seemed  an  impassable  barrier,  my  eyes 
were  gladdened  by  a  sight  which  caused  me  to  cry 
aloud  with  joy. 

Far  below  me,  so  distant  as  to  appear  like  a  mere 
speck  of  gray,  the  light  of  day  was  shining. 

Its  approach  was  by  a  rough  and  exceedingly  steep 
descent,  but  I  hurried  on  with  foolish  disregard  of  the 
perils  which  beset  my  path,  on  account  of  the  slippery 
deposits  on  the  stones.  Once  or  twice  I  nearly  came 
to  grief.  In  places  the  descent  was  so  abrupt  that  I 
had  to  turn  and  crawl  down,  steadying  myself  with  my 
hands  and  knees  ;  but  I  heeded  nothing  in  my  frantic 
eagerness  to  escape  and  gain  the  dreaded  Land  of  the 
Myriad  Mysteries. 

As  I  neared  the  opening,  I  discovered  it  was  not 
large,  and  half  choked  by  masses  of  rock  that  had 
either  fallen  or  been  placed  there  to  bar  the  entrance, 
while  about  them  were  tangled  masses  of  profuse  vege- 
tation, which  no  doubt  hid  the  existence  of  the  cavern 
to  any  who  should  chance  to  pass  it  outside.  In 
the  high  roof  near  the  exit,  hundreds  of  birds  of  bril- 
liant plumage  had  their  nests,  and  were  flying  in  and 
out,  singing  and  uttering  shrill  cries,  while  in  the  light 
and  air,  moss,  plants  and  giant  ferns  grew  in  wild  pro- 
fusion. Great  green  snakes,  too,  lay  curled  beneath 
the  stones,  and  I  was  compelled  to  be  wary,  lest  I 
should  be  bitten.  Even  on  arrival  here  my  escape  was 


270  £be  BEC  ot  flstar. 


barred  by  a  huge  mass  of  stone  three  times  higher 
than  myself,  and  so  wide  that  it  entirely  filled  up  the 
exit.  Nevertheless,  I  managed,  after  considerable  dif- 
ficulty, to  scale  the  rocky  obstacle,  and  pausing  on  its 
summit  for  a  moment,  I  ascertained  that  a  dense  forest 
lay  beyond.  Then  I  descended  through  the  tangled 
bushes  and  creepers  to  the  ground  outside,  and  once 
more  stood  free  in  the  fresh  air,  with  a  brilliant,  cloud- 
less sky  above. 

I  had  actually  set  foot  in  the  forbidden  Land  of  the 
No  Return  ! 

But  it  was  already  the  hour  of  the  maghrib,  and  the 
fast  dying  day  showed  that  the  time  I  had  spent  in  the 
wonderful  dwelling  of  the  Great  Devourer,  was  longer 
than  I  had  imagined.  Remembering  that  at  that  hour 
Azala  had  opened  her  lattice  and  breathed  to  me  her 
silent  message  of  love,  I  sank  upon  my  knees,  and  turn- 
ing in  the  direction  of  prayer,  went  through  my  sunset 
devotions  with  an  earnest  fervency  which  I  fear  was 
unusual,  thanking  Allah  in  a  loud  and  thrice-repeated 
Fatiha.  Rising,  and  lifting  my  hands  to  heaven,  I 
uttered  the  words  that  pilgrims  repeat  before  the 
Black  Stone  in  the  Holy  Ca'aba  :  "  There  is  no  God 
but  Allah  alone,  Whose  Covenant  is  Truth,  and  Whose 
Servant  is  Victorious.  There  is  no  God  but  Allah 
without  Sharer  ;  His  is  the  Kingdom,  to  him  be  Praise, 
and  He  over  all  Things  is  potent." 

Then,  having  kissed  my  fingers,  I  made  a  meal  from 
bananas  I  plucked  from  a  neighboring  tree,  and  having 
slacked  my  thirst  at  a  tiny  stream,  the  water  of  which 
was  as  cool  as  that  of  the  well  Zem  Zem,  I  skirted  the 
forest  for  a  considerable  distance,  but  finding  my 
further  progress  barred  by  a  wide  river,  that,  emerging 
from  the  wood,  ran  in  serpentine  wanderings  around 
the  base  of  the  high,  inaccessible  mountains,  I  was 


XanO  of  tbe  IRo  IReturn.  271 

compelled  to  plunge  into  the  forest.  Upon  the  tablets 
of  Semiramis,  it  was  stated  that  the  unknown  city  of 
Ea  had  been  built  at  a  spot  fifteen  marches  towards 
the  sunrise,  therefore  in  that  direction  I  proceeded. 

At  first,  the  forest  was  rendered  dark  and  gloomy  by 
the  entangled  bushes,  but  the  trees  soon  grew  thinner, 
yet  more  luxurious.  Many  of  them  were  in  blossom  ; 
many  bore  strange  fruits  that  I  had  never  before  be- 
held ;  while  the  ground  was  carpeted  with  moss  and  an 
abundance  of  bright-hued  flowers.  Everywhere  was 
an  air  of  peaceful  repose.  Birds  were  chattering  be- 
fore roosting  in  the  branches  above,  the  rays  of  the 
sinking  sun  gilded  the  leaves  and  fell  in  golden  shafts 
across  my  path,  a  bubbling  brook  ran  with  rippling 
music  over  the  pebbles,  and  the  air  was  heavily  laden 
with  the  subtle  scent  of  a  myriad  perfumes.  Presently, 
when  I  had  penetrated  the  belt  of  forest  and  emerged 
into  the  open  grassland,  I  stood  in  amazement,  gazing 
upon  one  of  the  fairest  and  most  picturesque  land- 
scapes that  my  wondering  eyes  had  ever  beheld. 

The  country  I  had  entered  was  the  dreaded  kingdom 
of  the  Myriad  Mysteries  ;  yet,  judging  from  its  fertil- 
ity and  natural  beauties,  it  appeared  to  me  more  like 
the  paradise  our  Koran  promises  for  our  enjoyment 
than  a  land  of  dread.  Indeed,  as  I  stood  there  in  the 
cool  sunset  hour,  amid  the  fruitful  trees,  sweet  flowers 
and  smiling  plains,  bounded  far  away  by  ranges  of  pur- 
ple mountains,  I  doubt  whether  it  would  have  surprised 
me  to  have  met  in  that  veritable  garden  of  delights  the 
black-eyed  houris  which  the  Book  of  Everlasting  Will 
describes  as  dwelling  in  pavilions,  among  trees  of  mauz 
and  lote-trees  free  from  thorns.  Such,  indeed,  I  thought, 
must  be  the  dwelling-place  prepared  for  the  Companions 
of  the  Right  Hand,  for  are  they  not  promised  couches 
adorned  with  gold  and  precious  stones,  under  an  ex- 


272  Gbe  Bse  of  Ustar. 


tended  shade,  near  a  flowing  water,  and  amidst  fruits 
of  abundance  which  shall  not  fail  nor  shall  be  forbid- 
den to  be  gathered  ? 

Slowly  turning,  I  gazed  back  upon  the  Rock  of  Sin, 
the  Moon-god,  the  name  of  which  in  the  centuries  that 
had  passed  had  been  so  strangely  corrupted  by  Arabs 
and  pagans  alike,  and  noticed  that  although  from 
where  I  stood  its  summit  looked  similar  in  form  to  its 
aspect  from  the  other  side  of  the  Lake  of  the  Accursed, 
yet  it  was  not  so  lofty  here,  and  evidently  this  hitherto 
undiscovered  region  was  considerably  higher  than  the 
countries  surrounding  it,  although  even  here  the  moun- 
tains forming  its  boundary  were  of  great  altitude, 
many  of  their  summits  being  tipped  with  snow.  Dark, 
frowning  and  mysterious,  the  rock  rose  high  among 
the  many  peaks  of  the  unknown  range,  while  behind 
the  giant  crests  to  the  left  the  western  sky  was  literally 
ablaze,  and  the  sun,  having  already  disappeared,  caused 
them  to  loom  darkly  in  the  shadows. 

Out  upon  the  plain  I  passed,  keeping  still  to  east- 
ward, but  soon  the  light  blue  veil  of  the  mountains  be- 
fore me  became  tinted  with  violet  and  indigo,  and 
finally  settled  into  leaden  death.  Then  night  crept 
on,  and  the  stars  shone  bright  as  diamonds  in  a  sul- 
tan's aigrette.  During  several  silent  hours  I  could  dis- 
cover no  sign  of  man,  but  at  length,  when  I  had  crossed 
the  plain,  with  the  moon  lighting  my  footsteps  like  a 
lamp,  I  approached,  at  the  foot  of  a  hill,  a  wonderful 
colonnade  of  colossal  stone  columns,  some  of  which 
had  broken  off  half  way  up  and  fallen,  while  across  the 
quaintly-sculptured  capitals  of  others  there  still  re- 
mained great  square  blocks  that  had  once  supported  a 
roof.  Here  and  there  in  the  vicinity  were  other  col- 
umns, singly,  and  in  twos  and  threes,  while  the  inter- 
vening ground  was  covered  with  dtbris,  over  which 


3LanD  of  tbe  1Wo  IRetum,  273 

crept  a  growth  of  tangled  vegetation,  as  if  striving  to 
hide  the  ravages  of  time. 

The  great  ruin,  apparently  of  an  ancient  palace  or 
temple,  stood  in  desolate  grandeur,  ghostly  in  the  white 
moonlight,  while  behind  rose  verdant  hills,  steep  and 
difficult  of  ascent.  Approaching  close  to  the  columns, 
through  a  mass  of  fallen  masonry  and  wildly-luxuriant 
verdure,  I  examined  them,  and  was  struck  by  the  enor- 
mous size  of  the  blocks  of  stone  from  which  they  had 
been  fashioned,  and  the  curious  and  grotesque  manner 
in  which  they  had  been  sculptured  with  figures.  The 
art  was  of  the  same  character  on  these  monoliths  as 
upon  the  tablet  of  Semiramis,  the  beautiful  and  bril- 
liant queen  who  was  worshipped  as  a  goddess.  There 
were  many  representations  of  the  Assyrian  deity,  and 
in  places  lines  of  cuneiform  writing,  but  the  suns  and 
rains  of  ages  had  almost  obliterated  them,  and  had 
also  caused  much  damage  to  the  sculptured  figures. 

In  the  silence  of  the  brilliant  night  I  stood  beneath 
those  amazing  relics  of  a  forgotten  civilization  and 
pictured  the  departed  magnificence  of  the  wonderful 
structure.  There  remained  portions  of  an  enormous 
gateway,  with  giant  winged  human  figures  carved  out 
of  huge  blocks  of  stone  ;  and  on  examining  one  of 
these  I  found  a  portion  of  an  inscription,  in  long,  thin 
lines  of  arrowheads,  easily  decipherable  in  the  full  light 
of  the  moon.  After  a  little  difficulty  I  succeeded  in 
reading  it  as  follows  : — 

"  In  the  beginning  of  my  everlasting  reign  there  was  re- 
vealed to  me  a  dream.  Merodach,  the  Great  Lord,  and  Sin, 
the  Illuminator  of  Heaven  and  Earth,  stood  round  about  me. 
Merodach  spake  to  me,  '  O  Semiramis,  Queen  of  Babylon, 
with  the  horses  of  thy  chariot  come,  the  bricks  of  the  House 
of  Light  make,  and  the  Moon,  the  Great  Lord  within  it 
caused  to  be  raised  his  dwelling'  Reverently  I  spake  to  the 


274  Gbe  Bge  of  flstar. 

lord  of  the  gods,  Merodach,  '  This  house,  of  which  thouspeak- 
est,  I  will  build,  and  the  temple  shall  be  the  dwelling  of  the 
Moon-god  in  Ea'  " 

What  a  magnificent  pile  it  must  have  been  in  those 
long-forgotten  days  when  the  legions  of  Semiramis 
marched,  in  glittering  array,  through  the  long  colonnade 
to"  worship  the  Moon-god,  Sin,  beneath  the  statues  of 
illustrious  Babylonians  !  or  when  their  luxurious  ruler, 
enthroned  a  queen  in  the  hearts  of  her  people,  and 
dowered  with  charms  that  inspired  to  heroism,  flashed 
through  those  great  corridors  in  her  gilded  chariot, 
surrounded  by  her  crowd  of  martial  courtiers  and  fair 
slaves  !  or  when,  with  bare  arms  and  golden  helmet  on 
her  head,  with  all  the  pomp  of  war,  she  sallied  forth  on 
her  fleet  steed,  caparisoned  in  crimson  and  gold,  to  re- 
view and  harangue  her  warriors  on  the  plain. 

Allah  had  destroyed  it  because  it  was  ungodly. 

No  trace  of  the  presence  of  living  man  had  I  dis- 
covered, and  I  began  to  wonder  whether,  after  all,  this 
Land  of  the  No  Return  was  uninhabited  ;  for  was  it  not 
likely  that  in  the  ages  that  had  passed  since  its  dis- 
covery by  Babylon's  queen,  the  colony,  like  the  once- 
powerful  race  beside  the  Euphrates,  had  dwindled 
away  and  become  entirely  extinct !  There  were  no 
signs  of  these  ruins  having  been  visited,  no  trace  of 
any  recent  encampment,  or  the  dead  ashes  of  the  fires 
of  recent  travellers.  Upon  the  stretch  of  bare,  stony 
ground,  before  the  half-ruined  gateway  which  would 
have  served  as  a  good  camping-ground,  I  searched 
diligently,  but  discovered  nothing  that  proved  the  ex- 
istence of  inhabitants ;  therefore,  wearied  and  footsore, 
I  at  length  threw  myself  down  at  the  base  of  one  of  the 
giant  monoliths,  and  with  part  of  my  gandoura  over 
my  face  to  shield  it  from  the  evil  influence  of  the 
moonbeams,  sank  into  heavy,  dreamless  slumber. 


B  IDteitant  from  tbe  flMats.  275 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

A  VISITANT  FROM  THE  MISTS. 

DAY  had  dawned  fully  three  hours  ere  I  arose.  The 
great  ruins,  revealed  by  the  brilliant  morning  sun,  were 
much  more  extensive  than  I  had  at  first  believed.  For 
fully  half  a  mile  mighty  columns  rose,  here  and  there, 
like  gigantic,  moveless  giants  ;  many  had  fallen,  and 
their  walls  of  enormous  blocks  and  their  prostrate 
pillars  looked  up  piteously  to  the  day.  Time  alone 
had  worn  down  their  rigid  strength,  and  swept  the  cap- 
stones from  the  towers.  Time,  too,  had  clad  some  of 
them  in  a  disintegrating  mantle  of  green. 

There  was  not  one  of  the  hundred  columns  and 
monoliths  in  which  did  not  lurk  some  tale,  or  many 
tales,  of  loyalty,  or  treason,  or  despair.  There  was  not 
one  of  th,e  five  great  gates  I  could  distinguish  whose 
portal  had  not  swung  open  wide  for  processions  of 
triumphal  pageantry,  of  exalted  grief,  of  pagan  pomp,  or 
military  expedition.  Thick  as  the  leaves  of  the  climb- 
ing plants,  festooning  crevice,  niche  and  broken  para- 
pet, must  be  the  legends,  traditions  and  true  tales  that 
enwrapped  those  walls  if  man  still  inhabited  that  land. 
Upon  the  stones,  chipped  with  surprising  neatness  and 
regularity,  were  many  uneffaced  inscriptions ;  the 
pompous  eulogies  therein  contained  being  the  only 
epitaphs  the  long-dead  founders  of  the  Kingdom  of  Ea 
possessed.  This  prodigious  pile,  useless  centuries  ago, 
torn  by  earthquakes  and  half  levelled  by  time,  was  in- 
deed a  fitting  monument  to  the  great  Semiramis,  the 
self-indulgent  Queen,  the  conqueror  of  all  lands  from 
the  Indus  to  the  Mediterranean,  and  builder  of  Babylon, 
the  most  extensive  and  wonderful  capital  in  the  world. 


276  ZTbe  Bse  of  ffstac. 


At  last,  turning  my  back  upon  the  desolate  scene,  I 
went  forward  and  commenced  to  ascend  the  steep  hill- 
side. It  was  a  stiff  ascent,  but,  on  gaining  the  summit, 
I  looked  down  upon  a  panorama  of  beauty  impossible 
to  adequately  describe.  Streams,  forests  and  verdant 
valleys  stretched  out  below,  bounded  far  away  by  a 
range  of  fantastic  mountains  rising  in  finger  points  in 
all  directions.  Proceeding  in  search  of  the  mysterious, 
unknown  city,  which,  according  to  the  inscription,  lay  in 
the  direction  of  prayer,  I  descended  the  steep  hill, 
passed  through  vast  entanglements  of  jungle  in  the 
valleys,  suddenly  coming  across  a  delightful  stream 
watering  a  narrow  valley  with  precipitous  walls  of  rock 
on  either  side,  and  densely  filled  with  all  kinds  of  trop- 
ical vegetation.  I  ate  some  bananas,  revelled  in  the 
luxury  of  a  bath,  and  then  continued  my  journey 
towards  the  sunrise  by  plunging  into  a  forest  of  quol- 
quol-trees,  some  of  which  reached  to  the  height  of  sixty 
feet,  stretching  out  their  weird  arms  in  every  direction. 
The  quolquol  is  an  uncanny-looking  tree,  exuding  a 
poisonous,  milky  gum,  which  is  exceedingly  dangerous. 
The  Dervishes,  in  making  their  roads  around  Khartoum 
and  Omdurman,  had  much  difficulty  with  this  tree,  for 
the  milk  from  it,  if  it  squirts  into  the  eyes  when  the 
tree  is  cut,  produces  blindness.  Beneath  the  trees  were 
flowering,  rich-colored  gladioli,  long,  hanging  orchids, 
sugar  plants,  and  many  thorny  trees  of  a  species  I  had 
never  before  seen. 

Lonely,  and  half  convinced  that  I  had  entered  a  land 
uninhabited  aud  forgotten,  I  threaded  the  mazes  of 
this  veritable  poison  forest,  at  length  emerging  into 
a  clump  of  gigantic  baobabs,  and  thence  into  a  slightly 
undulating  district,  sparsely  clothed  with  thorns  and 
euphorbia,  and  teeming  with  game.  At  last  I  found 
myself  crossing  a  beautiful,  park-like  track  where  herds 


a  Disitant  from  tbe  foists.  277 

of  buffalo  grazed  undisturbed,  and  at  sundown  came  to 
a  rich,  fertile  country,  dotted  with  clumps  of  pine-trees 
and  large  patches  of  forest,  abounding  in  pretty  glades 
and  glens  of  mimosa  brush  full  of  beautiful  blue  birds 
and  monkeys. 

That  night  I  sought  sleep  under  a  huge  sycamore, 
and  next  day  continued  my  tramp  towards  the  distant 
range  of  mountains,  over  the  crests  of  which  showed 
the  first  rosy  tint  of  dawn.  Compelled  sometimes  to 
wade  streams,  and  often  climbing  and  descending  pre- 
cipitous rocks,  passing  through  narrow,  romantic  gorges, 
and  coming  now  and  then  upon  beautiful  and  unex- 
pected cascades,  I  toiled  onward  through  that  day,  and 
although  I  passed  some  ruins,  apparently  of  a  house, 
half  hidden  by  wild  vegetation,  yet  I  discovered  no 
trace  of  the  existence  of  living  man.  Never  before 
had  I  experienced  such  a  sense  of  utter  loneliness.  I 
had  the  bright  sun  and  cloudless  sky  above.  I  was 
free  to  wander  hither  and  thither,  and  around  me  grew 
fruits  that  were  the  necessaries  of  life ;  but  I  was  alive 
in  a  region  which,  as  far  as  I  could  observe,  had  re- 
mained untrodden  for  many  centuries.  Again  I  spent 
the  night  beneath  a  tree,  my  head  pillowed  on  a  fallen 
branch  ;  and  again  I  set  forth  to  reach  my  goal,  as  re- 
corded on  the  rock-tablet  of  Semiramis.  Forward, 
ever  in  the  direction  of  the  Holy  Ca'aba  across  grass 
plains,  through  rocky  ravines  and  shady  woods  bright 
with  flowers,  and  as  sweetly-scented  as  the  harem  of  a 
sultan,  I  trudged  onward,  in  my  hand  a  long,  stout 
staff  which  I  had  broken  from  a  tree,  in  my  heart  a 
feeling  that  I  alone  was  monarch  of  this  smiling,  un- 
known Land  of  the  No  Return  that  I  had  discovered. 

Yet  I  remembered  that,  after  all,  I  had  not  yet  eluci- 
dated the  mystery  of  which  I  was  in  search — the  reason 
of  the  Mark  of  the  Asps  ;  and  although  I  had  discovered 


278  Gbe  Ege  of  flstat. 

it  in  the  hand  of  the  Assyrian  goddess,  yet  such  dis- 
covery only  increased  its  mystery.  So  I  kept  on  my 
toilsome  path,  stage  by  stage,  still  pious,  still  hopeful, 
still  believing  that  the  secret  of  the  linked  reptiles 
would  eventually  be  explained. 

Never  swerving  from  the  direction  of  the  sunrise, 
and  each  day  at  the  maghrib  making  a  mark  upon  my 
staff  with  the  sharp  stone  I  carried,  I  continued  in 
search  of  the  city  of  Semiramis.  Up  the  almost  inac- 
cessible face  of  one  of  the  great  mountains  of  the  range 
I  had  seen  afar  I  toiled  many  hours,  until,  stepping 
from  sunshine  into  mist  and  drizzle,  my  feet  were  upon 
the  snow  that  covered  their  summits,  and  the  intense 
cold  chilled  me  to  the  bone.  Higher  yet  was  I  com- 
pelled to  climb,  until,  as  if  by  magic,  I  passed  through 
the  belt  of  mist  into  brilliant  sunshine  again.  The  effect 
was  one  of  the  most  curious  I  had  ever  witnessed.  Be- 
low was  a  sea  of  crumpled  clouds,  extending  as  far  as 
the  eye  could  reach,  out  of  which  peered  high  mountain 
peaks  like  islands  in  a  sea  of  fleecy  wool.  During  two 
whole  days  I  clambered,  half-starved  and  chilled,  across 
this  vast,  towering  range.  The  air  was  health-giving 
and  invigorating.  In  the  early  morning  everything 
was  clear  and  bright ;  as  the  day  advanced  the  clouds 
would  gather  from  the  plains  and  gradually  roll  up  the 
mountain  side,  enveloping  the  lowlands  and  valleys  in 
a  dense  mist ;  occasionally,  towards  sundown,  this  mist 
would  roll  over  the  edge  and  envelop -a  little  of  the 
high  plateau  in  its  clammy  folds,  but  it  quickly  dis- 
persed as  the  sun  went  down,  and  the  morning  would 
again  break  bright,  with  hoar  frost  sparkling  every- 
where. 

At  the  foot  of  the  mountains  the  ground  was  swampy 
and  enveloped  perpetually  in  a  white  mist,  so  dense 
that,  for  a  further  period  of  two  days,  I  wandered  over 


B  Disttant  from  tbe  ilBtsts.  279 

the  marshes,  not  knowing  the  direction  in  which  I  was 
travelling,  but  trusting  to  the  keen  natural  instinct  with 
which  men  of  my  race  are  endowed.  So  dense  was  this 
mist  hanging  over  the  trackless,  pestilential  bog  that 
I  could  distinguish  nothing  a  leopard's  leap  distant, 
and  my  gandoura  was  as  soaked  with  moisture  as  if  I 
had  waded  a  river.  Judge  my  surprise,  however,  when 
suddenly  I  found  that  the  vapors  had  veiled  from  my 
eager  eyes  another  more  inaccessible  and  still  higher 
belt  of  mountain  than  the  first. 

Darkness  was  already  creeping  on  when  I  made  this 
discovery,  therefore  I  resolved  to  rest  and  sleep  before 
attempting  to  climb  the  rugged  heights  before  me. 
It  was  necessary,  in  order  to  discover  the  direction  of 
the  mysterious  city,  that  I  should  climb  above  the  belt 
of  impenetrable  mist  and  take  bearings  in  the  clear  at- 
mosphere. Fortunately  I  had  found  a  banana-tree  a 
few  hours  previously  and  carried  some  of  its  fruit  with 
me,  therefore  I  ate  my  fill,  and  afterwards  threw  myself 
down  to  snatch  a  few  hours'  slumber. 

How  long  I  lay  I  know  not,  but  I  was  startled  by  feel- 
ing a  soft,  clammy  object  steal  slowly  across  my  breast. 
It  was  as  icy  cold  as  the  hand  of  a  corpse.  Opening 
my  eyes  quickly,  I  was  dazzled  by  a  brilliant  light  shin- 
ing into  them,  but  in  an  instant  the  bright  flash  disap- 
peared and  an  unearthly  and  demoniac  yell  sounded 
about  me.  In  the  impenetrable  darkness,  caused  by 
night  and  the  dense  mist  combined,  I  could  distinguish 
nothing,  but,  starting  up,  held  my  breath  in  alarm,  lis- 
tening to  the  echoing  yells  receding  in  the  distance. 
They  sounded  like  three  loud  shouts  in  the  same  strain, 
followed  by  a  long,  plaintive  wail. 

At  first  I  endeavored  to  reassure  myself  that  my 
breast  had  not  been  touched  by  the  clammy  snout  of 
some  wandering  animal  which  had  been  startled  by  my 


280  Gbe  Bse  of  Istar. 


sudden  movement,  but  try  how  I  would  I  could  not 
convince  myself  that  those  yells  proceeded  from  any 
but  a  human  being.  Again,  as  I  felt  my  gandoura,  I 
discovered  that  it  had  been  unloosened  with  care,  evi- 
dently for  tl\e  purpose  of  closely  examining  the  mark  I 
bore  upon  my  breast  !  The  bright  light,  too,  was  an 
undeniable  fact  which  pointed  conclusively  to  the 
presence  of  human  inhabitants  of  this  mist-enveloped 
ravine. 

Sleep  came  no  more  to  my  eyes,  for  through  the 
long,  dreary  night  I  kept  a  watchful  vigil.  Strange 
noises,  as  if  of  someone  moving  cautiously  in  my  vicin- 
ity, sounded  about  me,  but  in  which  direction  I  could 
never  detect  with  certainty,  for  both  shadows  and 
sounds  became  distorted  by  the  thick  vapors  by  which 
I  was  surrounded.  Several  times  I  heard  the  same 
mysterious,  mournful  cry,  now  close  to  me,  and  again 
sounding  afar,  as  if  in  answer  to  the  plaintive  call. 
Scarcely  daring  to  move,  I  patiently  awaited  the  light 
of  day,  which  came  at  last,  spreading  gradually  at  first, 
but  soon  causing  the  darkness  around  me  to  fall,  and 
the  white,  choking  vapors  to  become  more  dense  and 
bewildering.  There  was  the  same  strange,  sulphurous 
odor  that  I  had  experienced  when  swimming  the  Lake 
of  the  Accursed,  and  I  began  to  fear  that  the  poison- 
ous gases  exuded  from  the  swamps  would  cause  as- 
phyxiation. As  soon,  therefore,  as  the  light  grew 
strong  enough  to  enable  me  to  see  where  I  placed  my 
feet,  I  started  forward  to  face  the  huge  mountain.  I 
had  not  taken  three  paces  before  my  eyes,  keeping 
careful  watch  upon  the  ground,  detected  something 
which  caused  me  to  involuntarily  utter  a  cry  of  sur- 
prise. 

At  my  feet  was  lying  a  short,  straight  sword,  in 
a  scabbard  of  beautifully-chased  gold,  with  a  magnifi- 


a  \Dteftant  from  tbe  Okiste.  281 

cently  jewelled  cross  hilt.  It  was  attached  to  a  leather 
girdle,  the  buckle  of  which  was  thickly  set  with  fine 
emeralds,  and  the  bright  condition  of  the  scabbard, 
and  the  keen,  unrusted  appearance  of  the  blued-steel 
blade  told  me  that  it  had  not  remained  there  many 
hours.  Then  it  occurred  to  me  that  the  weapon  was 
similar  in  design  to  the  ancient  one  I  had  found  in  the 
Cavern  of  the  Devourer,  and  that  it  must  have  been 
dropped  by  my  mysterious  visitant.  It  was  plain  that, 
after  all,  I  was  not  the  only  human  being  in  that  mys- 
terious Land  of  the  No  Return  ;  equally  certain,  also, 
that  my  intrusion  had  been  discovered. 

Was  this  the  Land  of  the  Myriad  Mysteries,  that 
region  dreaded  by  my  clansmen  of  the  deserts  from 
the  Atlas  to  the  Niger  ?  Was  this  weird,  misty  gorge, 
devoid  of  herbage,  and  exuding  a  death-dealing  breath, 
the  actual  entrance  of  the  territory  of  all-consuming 
terror  ? 

I  paused,  examining  the  weapon  curiously,  wonder- 
ing who  might  be  its  owner.  Fearing,  however,  to 
remain  there  longer,  I  buckled  the  girdle  about  my 
waist,  and  aided  by  my  staff,  commenced  the  steep 
and  toilsome  ascent. 

An  hour's  hard  climbing  took  me  above  the  heavy 
vapors  into  the  brilliant  light  of  day,  and  I  then  dis- 
covered that  the  mountain  I  was  negotiating  was  of 
greater  altitude  than  any  of  the  peaks  of  my  native 
Atlas.  At  first  the  slopes  were  grass-covered,  and 
mimosa  bushes  grew  plentifully,  but  as  I  went  higher 
there  were  only  patches  of  stunted  herbage,  and  higher 
still  no  herbage  grew.  As  hour  by  hour  I  toiled  up- 
ward, in  places  so  steep  that  I  had  to  use  both  hands 
and  knees,  I  gradually  neared  the  region  of  eternal 
snow.  Soon  after  noon  I  halted,  seating  myself  upon  a 
rock  to  rest.  Gloomy  thoughts  oppressed  me.  Below 


282  abe  BBC  of  1Fstar. 


was  nothing  but  a  sea  of  vapor  ;  above  a  sky  brilliant, 
without  a  cloud. 

Being  compelled  to  pass  through  that  curious  gorge 
of  gray,  eternal  mist,  I  had  lost  my  bearings  entirely, 
and  knew  not  in  what  direction  I  was  now  journeying. 
For  the  past  two  days  I  had  been  travelling  through  a 
shadowy  and  inhospitable  region,  wherein  I  had  seen 
not  a  beast  of  the  field  nor  fowl  of  the  air.  The  action 
of  the  mysterious  visitant  puzzled  me.  If  it  were  a 
man,  as  I  supposed,  why  should  the  mark  upon  my 
breast  have  such  attraction  for  him  ?  In  his  hurried 
flight  he  had  lost  his  sword,  and  apparently  feared  to 
return  to  seek  it.  The  enigma  puzzled  me,  occupying 
my  thoughts  during  the  whole  of  that  fatiguing  and 
perilous  climb. 

Having  rested  for  nearly  an  hour,  my  eye  suddenly 
caught  the  notches  upon  my  staff.  I  picked  it  up  and 
carefully  counted  them. 

They  were  already  fourteen.  On  this,  the  fifteenth 
day,  I  ought,  if  credence  were  to  be  placed  in  the  rock 
tablet  of  Semiramis,  to  reach  the  mystic  city  of  Ea. 

Eager  to  gain  the  summit  and  gaze  upon  the  land  be- 
yond, I  rose  and  once  more  plodded  onward  with 
dogged  pertinacity.  Upwards  I  strode,  until  the  per- 
spiration rolled  in  great  beads  from  my  brow,  and  my 
matted,  unkempt  hair  became  wet  from  the  same  cause. 
As  I  gained  a  kind  of  small  plateau,  covered  deeply  by 
untrodden  snow,  an  icy  blast  chilled  me  to  the  mar- 
row, causing  me  to  wrap  my  rags  closer  about  me  ; 
but  heeding  not  fatigue,  I  sped  rapidly  over  the  small 
plain  and  commenced  the  final  ascent  to  the  lowest 
crest  over  which  I  could  pass.  This  occupied  me 
fully  two  hours,  for  the  ascent  was  the  most  difficult  I 
had  yet  encountered  ;  but  presently  I  found  myself 
upon  a  stretch  of  comparatively  level  ground,  with 


283 

snow  lying  thickly  everywhere,  and  the  surface  frozen 
so  hard  that  my  feet  left  no  imprints.  Beyond  this 
plain  was  only  the  sky,  therefore  I  knew  that  I  had  at 
last  reached  the  highest  point. 

In  order  to  regain  breath  I  was  compelled  to  halt 
for  a  few  seconds,  but  those  moments  were  full  of  in- 
tense eagerness.  What  lay  beyond  I  feared  to  ascer- 
tain. Whether  I  had  travelled  in  the  right  direction 
I  was  unaware  ;  but  if  I  had,  then  it  was  time  that  I 
should  reach  the  goal  for  which  I  had  so  long  and  so 
arduously  striven. 

The  iron  of  despair  was  entering  my  soul,  but  next 
second,  shaking  if  off,  I  dashed  forward  at  full  speed 
to  the  edge  of  the  lofty  plateau,  and  gazed  with  won- 
dering, wide-open  eyes  into  the  land  beyond. 

The  panorama  below  held  me  speechless  in  wonder- 
ment. Dumbfounded,  I  stood  open-mouthed,  rigid, 
rooted  to  the  spot. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE    TORTURE-WHEEL. 

THE  scene  which  burst  upon  me  was  so  unexpected 
and  startling,  that  at  first  I  found  myself  doubting  my 
own  senses,  and  was  inclined  to  believe  that  it  was 
merely  a  mirage,  or  some  fantastic  chimera  of  my  own 
imagination.  As  I  continued  to  gaze  upon  it,  taking 
in  all  the  details  discernible  from  that  distance,  I  was 
compelled  to  admit  that  the  objects  I  saw  existed  in 
reality,  and  to  congratulate  myself  that  I  was  actually 
within  sight  of  my  longed-for  goal. 

Behind  me  the  sun  was  fast  declining,  but  deep  be- 


284  tlbe  BBC  of  fstar. 

low,  there  stretched  on  either  hand  a  broad  river, 
winding  far  away  into  the  distant,  purple  haze.  At 
the  foot  of  the  giant  mountain  whereon  I  stood  was 
a  great  stretch  of  grassland,  across  which  ran  a  road 
paved  like  those  the  Franks  construct  in  Algeria,  and 
straight  as  a  spear  shaft,  leading  to  a  most  wonderful 
and  amazing  city. 

Surrounded  by  stone  walls  of  colossal  size  and  enor- 
mous height,  houses  extended  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach,  and  even 'from  where  I  stood  I  could  detect  that 
the  thoroughfares,  running  at  right  angles  to  each 
other,  were  all  broad  and  handsome.  The  architec- 
ture, as  far  as  I  could  distinguish,  was  such  as  I  had 
never  before  seen,  and  the  houses,  built  upon  a  great 
hill  rising  abruptly  from  the  plain,  rose  tier  upon  tier 
to  the  summit,  which  was  crowned  by  an  enormous 
palace  with  a  roof  of  burnished  gold,  which  glistened 
with  blinding  brightness  in  the  brilliant  rays  of  the  de- 
clining sun.  Close  by,  from  the  extreme  summit  of  the 
hill,  rose  a  square  tower  of  such  colossal  proportions 
that  it  seemed  to  reach  to  such  a  height  that  the  build- 
ing, at  its  summit,  was  in  the  gathering  clouds  of  even- 
ing. The  highest  portion  of  the  tower  was  of  silver, 
then,  counting  downwards,  it  was  blue,  then  pale  yel- 
low, then  bright  gold,  red,  orange  and  black.  Each  of 
these  stages,  I  knew,  represented  one  of  the  chief 
heavenly  bodies — the  silver  being  that  of  the  Moon, 
the  blue  Mercury,  the  yellow  Astarte,  the  gold  the  Sun, 
the  red  Mars,  the  orange  Jupiter,  and  the  black  Saturn. 
I  had  read  long  ago,  in  the  records  of  Babylonia,  of 
the  similar  temple-tower  that  Nebuchadnezzar  built  at 
Birs-i-Nimrud,  and,  glancing  in  other  directions,  saw 
similar  edifices  dotted  everywhere. 

The  great  palace  on  the  hill-top  was  so  extensive  that 
its  buildings  and  gardens  stretched  away  into  the  blue 


ftbe  Gorture*TlClbeel.  285 

distance,  and  its  walls  and  colonnades  were,  like  every- 
thing within  that  wonderful  place,  so  enormous  in  their 
proportions  as  to  be  amazing.  Through  the  centre  of 
the  palace  gardens  ran  a  beautiful  river,  spanned  by 
many  bridges,  and  as  it  wound  away,  it  branched  out 
into  another  stream  that  meandered  through  the  city. 
Upon  the  very  summit  of  the  hill,  in  close  proximity  to 
the  temple  tower,  and  within  the  impregnable  walls  of' 
the  palace,  rose  a  pavilion,  the  walls  of  which  appeared 
to  be  constructed  entirely  of  gold. 

But  it  was  not  only  there  where  the  eye  was  dazzled. 
The  hundred  enormous  gates  in  the  strong  walls  that 
girt  the  city  were  of  gold,  and  even  as  I  looked  I  saw  a 
cavalcade  of  horsemen  crossing  the  plain,  the  sun's 
rays  slanting  upon  the  breastplates  of  polished  gold, 
giving  the  well-drilled  band  the  appearance  of  a  broad, 
glittering  thread. 

At  each  entrance  to  the  city  were  high  watch-towers 
whereon  soldiers  stood  ever-watchful  night  and  day. 
and  the  wonderful  walls,  that  even  Time  could  not 
throw  down,  were  evidently  used  for  promenading,  for 
I  could  distinguish  many  objects,  like  tiny,  black  specks, 
moving  over  the  broad  thoroughfare  formed  thereon. 
On  either  side,  as  far  as  my  keen  vision  could  pene- 
trate, nothing  presented  itself  but  a  colossal  and  mag- 
nificent city  of  villas,  palaces  and  temples,  of  pavilions 
of  red  and  silver,  of  beautiful,  shady  gardens,  and  won- 
derful structures  in  tiers  of  various  color,  of  temple 
and  tomb  towers,  of  square,  solidly-built,  flat-roofed 
residences,  of  bridges  of  polished  marble  and  alabaster, 
and  wonderful  brazen  gates.  The  proportions  of  its 
buildings,  even  though  I  could  only  obtain  but  a 
bird's-eye  view,  were  marvellous,  the  wideness  of  its 
thoroughfares  astounding  ;  its  thousand  towers  and 
pinnacles  beggared  description  ;  its  extent  so  great  as 
to  cause  me  to  stand  aghast. 


286  Gbe  j£ge  of  ffstar. 

This,  then,  must  be  the  majestic  city  of  Ea,  the  won- 
derful capital,  founded  by  the  beautiful  but  frail  woman 
who  had  constructed  it  in  imitation  of  Babylon.  While 
the  latter  city  had  ages  ago  fallen  to  decay,  and  sunk 
forgotten  beneath  the  earth's  surface,  this  magnificent 
place,  with  its  ostentatious  display  of  wealth,  even  in 
its  very  gates,  had  remained  through  a  hundred  gener- 
ations ;  the  same  amazing,  impregnable  citadel  of  the 
great  queen's  faithful  followers  ;  the  same  collection  of 
palaces  of  bewildering  luxury  ;  the  same  time-defying 
stronghold  of  a  warlike  race,  the  same  stupendous  centre 
of  incredible  extent ;  the  same  unapproachable  capital 
of  an  unapproachable  land,  as  when  Semiramis  herself, 
surrounded  by  her  lovers  and  courtiers,  entered  its 
brazen  gates  with  pomp  and  splendor,  amid  the  clash 
of  cymbals,  the  beating  of  drums,  and  the  flourish  of 
trumpets. 

Her  great  temple,  with  its  unequalled  colonnade, 
which  I  had  passed  some  days  ago,  had,  for  some  rea- 
son unaccountable,  been  allowed  to  crumble  and  fall 
away,  but  here,  in  this  marvellous  city  of  a  thousand 
wonders  of  imposing  forms  and  harmonious  outlines, 
the  memory  of  one  of  the  most  notable  of  queens  was 
perpetuated.  And  I  was  the  first  man  from  the  outer 
world  to  gaze  upon  this  one  glorious  and  unique  monu- 
ment of  a  long-forgotten  past ! 

I  stood  leaning  upon  my  staff,  lost  in  astonishment, 
watching  agape  the  incredible  scene.  Fascinated  and 
stupefied  by  its  magnificence,  I  contemplated  it  in  be- 
wilderment, while  the  afterglow,  shedding  a  ruddy  light 
upon  its  wonderful  towers,  caused  the  burnished  gates 
and  roofs  to  shine  red  as  blood.  Soon  it  died  away, 
and  when  the  sun  sank  in  the  mists  behind  me,  a  sud- 
den gloom  fell,  and  chill  night  crept  rapidly  on.  As 
the  stars  appeared  in  the  heavens,  a  million  lights 


Cbe  Gorture*TSabeel.  287 

shone  everywhere  in  the  city,  the  broad  streets  of 
which  seemed  bright  as  day.  Great  sacrificial  fires 
threw  an  uncertain  light  from  the  summits  of  some  of 
the  taller  towers,  and  from  the  wonderful  fabric  on  the 
summit  of  the  hill  one  single  light  of  intense  whiteness 
shone  brilliant  as  a  star. 

An  hour  sped  by,  yet  still  I  remained  lost  in  aston- 
ishment. The  myriad  lights  gave  the  strange  city  a 
curiously  weird  aspect,  and  I  feared  to  meet  any  of  its 
denizens.  Were  they,  I  wondered,  of  the  same  form  as 
my  fellows  of  the  outer  world,  or  were  they  veritable 
giants  in  stature,  that  they  should  build  structures  of 
such  incredible  proportions? 

Though  I  dreaded  to  meet  them,  yet  I  longed  to  be 
able  to  pass  those  ponderous  brazen  gates,  to  tread 
those  wondrous  streets,  to  enter  those  curiously  gradu- 
ated temple  towers,  and  wander  in  those  shady  gardens 
beside  the  running  waters. 

With  my  bejewelled  sword  and  girdle  strapped  over 
my  dirty,  ragged  gandoura,  should  I  be  enabled  to  pass 
those  gates  and  enter  the  city  forbidden  to  those  out- 
side the  rock-girt  boundary  of  this  unknown  kingdom  ? 
This  question  I  asked  myself  a  hundred  times,  com- 
pelled to  doubt  whether  such  attempt  would  not  result 
in  my  arrest  and  perhaps  execution  as  a  spy.  I  had 
faced  without  fear  the  thousand  perils  of  my  journey 
from  the  City  of  the  Mirage  ;  but  to  encounter  the 
guards  of  mighty,  mystic  Ea  would,  I  knew,  require  all 
the  courage  of  which  I,  as  an  adventurer,  was  possessed. 

When,  however,  the  moon  shone  out,  I  began  slowly 
to  descend  towards  my  goal.  With  exceeding  difficulty 
I  let  myself  down  over  those  slippery,  snow-covered 
rocks,  treading  ofttimes  on  perilous  ledges,  where  a 
false  step  meant  instant  death  on  the  crags  beneath. 
Naught  cared  I  of  the  risks  I  ran  in  descending  so 


288  Gbe  fige  of  flstar. 


rashly,  but,  eager  to  set  foot  upon  the  plain,  I  stumbled 
on,  now  jumping,  now  crawling,  until  I  gained  a  grass- 
grown  slope  where  progress  was  not  fraught  by  so 
many  dangers. 

Suddenly  I  came  to  a  rocky  gorge,  down  which  roared 
a  broad,  swift  torrent,  and,  as  it  came  into  view,  a 
scream  of  pain  and  despair  broke  upon  my  ear.  The 
sound  seemed  suddenly  smothered,  then,  a  few  moments 
later,  echoed  again.  I  listened,  and  found  that  it 
sounded  with  regularity  above  the  roaring  of  the 
waters.  Whence  it  proceeded  was  a  mystery,  but,  as  I 
followed  the  stream  in  my  descent,  I  suddenly  encoun- 
tered a  great  chasm  in  the  earth,  before  which  was  an 
enormous  wooden  wheel,  revolved  by  the  current 
which  flowed  beneath,  and  then  disappeared  to  feed 
some  subterranean  river. 

As  I  watched  it  in  the  full  moonlight,  puzzled  as  to 
its  use,  the  scream  startled  me  again,  and,  at  the  same 
moment,  I  perceived  something  white  upon  the  moss- 
grown  wheel  flash  above  for  a  moment,  and  then  plunge 
beneath  the  water.  Again  it  rose,  and  was  again 
plunged  in.  A  third  time  it  rose,  and  my  eyes,  now  on 
the  alert,  caught  the  form  of  a  man,  who,  tightly  bound 
to  the  wheel,  was  being  every  moment  plunged  into  the 
icy  stream. 

Then  I  knew  that  the  wheel  was  used  for  one  of  the 
most  horrible  forms  of  torture  and  death.  Alone,  the 
wretched  victim  was  slowly  dying,  dreading  every  mo- 
ment to  meet  the  water,  and  each  time,  as  he  rose  in 
the  air,  awakening  the  echoes  by  his  despairing  cries 
for  rescue.  He  passed  me  so  closely  that  I  could 
touch  him  with  outstretched  hand  where  I  stood,  but 
so  swiftly  that,  although  a  dozen  times  I  strove  to  cut 
his  cords  with  my  sword,  I  failed.  The  manner  in 
which  the  wheel  could  be  stopped  I  knew  not,  and  was 


aorture*TKttbeel.  289 

thus  compelled  to  stand  and  see  the  poor  wretch  die 
before  my  eyes.  Apparently  he  recognized  that  my 
efforts  to  release  him  had  been  unavailing,  and  swooned, 
his  unconsciousness  being  quickly  followed  by  suffoca- 
tion. 

Even  as  I  stood  watching,  I  heard  footsteps,  and, 
slinking  back  in  the  shadow  behind  a  great  rock,  saw 
approaching  four  tall  men  of  fine  physique,  wearing 
shining  breastplates,  bearing  between  them  the  frail, 
inanimate  form  of  a  woman.  They  were  followed  by 
two  other  men,  who,  by  screwing  down  a  block  of  wood 
on  the  axle  of  the  wheel,  raised  it  above  the  raging 
torrent.  With  a  few  swift  strokes  of  their  swords,  the 
men  severed  the  bonds  that  held  the  body  of  the  victim, 
and,  as  it  fell  with  a  splash  into  the  whirling  stream,  it 
was  speedily  engulfed,  and  swept  down  the  chasm  into 
the  bowels  of  the  earth. 

The  men,  who  spoke  a  tongue  unknown  to  me, 
laughed  roughly  among  themselves  as  it  disappeared, 
and  then,  tearing  from  the  woman  her  golden  orna- 
ments, they  bound  her  upon  the  wheel.  While  doing  so 
she  recovered  consciousness,  and,  recognizing  her  im- 
pending fate,  gave  vent  to  a  shrill,  heart-rending 
scream.  But  her  cruel  captors  merely  jeered,  and,  hav- 
ing ascertained  that  she  was  secure,  again  lowered  the 
wheel,  which  immediately  began  to  revolve. 

For  a  few  moments  the  soldiers  watched  the  monot- 
onous punishment,  then,  in  response  to  a  word  from 
the  one  apparently  in  authority,  descended  the  path 
and  were  lost  to  view. 

As  soon  as  they  were  out  of  hearing  I  emerged  from 
my  hiding-place,  and,  acting  as  I  had  seen  the  men  act, 
succeeded  at  length  in  raising  the  wheel,  and,  grasping 
the  trembling  form  of  the  woman,  severed  her  bonds 
and  dragged  her  from  her  perilous  position,  afterwards 


290  $be  Ege  of  Itetat. 

lowering  the  terrible  wheel  and  allowing  it  to  again 
revolve. 

Taking  her  in  my  arms  I  bore  her  some  little  distance, 
and,  after  some  effort,  restored  her  to  consciousness. 
Her  hair,  which  fell  to  her  knees,  was  like  golden 
sheen,  and  her  complexion  as  pale  as  those  of  the 
women  of  the  Infidels  who  come  to  see  the  Desert  at 
Biskra,  or  seek  renewed  health  from  the  waters  of 
Hamman  R'hira.  Indeed,  the  people  of  Ea  all  seemed 
white-skinned,  for  the  brutal  soldiers  had  in  their 
faces  no  trace  of  negro  origin. 

When  the  woman  I  had  rescued  opened  her  eyes 
there  was  a  terrified  look  in  them,  but  on  finding  that 
I  was  supporting  her  head  and  endeavoring  to  bring 
her  round,  she  uttered  some  words.  Not  being  able 
to  understand  her,  I  shook  my  head.  Again  she  ad- 
dressed me  with  like  result.  Then,  sitting  up,  she 
suddenly  asked  me  yet  another  question,  but  again  I 
shook  my  head. 

Springing  to  her  feet  as  if  electrified,  she  gave  me 
one  look  of  abject  fear  and  fled  away  among  the 
bushes,  screaming,  leaving  me  standing  in  mute  as- 
tonishment. Was  it  my  ragged,  unkempt  appearance 
that  had  caused  her  such  terror  ?  She  had  apparently 
been  seized  with  a  sudden  insanity  ;  but  whether  the 
horrible  torture  of  the  wheel  had  unhinged  her  mind  I 
knew  not. 

Retracing  my  steps  to  the  torture-wheel,  I  followed 
the  path  which  the  soldiers  had  taken,  and  in  half-an- 
hour  reached  the  plain. 

Then  I  hesitated,  undecided  whether  to  walk  for- 
ward and  inspect  the  walls  and  closed  gates  of  the 
gigantic  city,  or  wait  until  its  brazen  portals  were 
opened  at  dawn.  It  occurred  to  me  that,  if  detected  by 
the  watchmen,  I  should  be  seized  as  a  spy,  therefore 
I  decided  to  snatch  a  brief  rest  and  wait  for  morning. 


£a.  291 

Finding  a  great  tree  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  I 
made  a  pillow  of  leaves  and  was  soon  dreaming  of 
weird  adventures  and  tortures  applied  by  fiendish  cap- 
tors. I  had  evidently  been  more  fatigued  than  I  had 
imagined,  for  suddenly  I  found  myself  roughly  handled 
by  two  soldiers  of  colossal  stature,  wearing  curiously- 
fashioned  robes,  reaching  nearly  to  the  ground,  and 
was  surprised  to  discover  the  sun  shining  brilliantly. 

They  addressed  to  me  a  question  which  I  could  not 
understand  ;  then,  next  second  I  found  myself  sur- 
rounded by  men  with  drawn  swords  as  my  arms  were 
quickly  pinioned  by  a  dozen  eager  hands,  then  amid 
loud  shouts  of  triumph  I  was  dragged  across  the  plain 
towards  the  brazen  gate,  to  enter  which  had  been  my 
sole  desire. 

My  courage  failed  me.  Had  I  not  read  on  the  tablet 
of  Semiramis  that  no  stranger  was  permitted  to  enter 
the  Kingdom  of  Ea  on  penalty  of  death  ?  It  was  plain 
that  my  fierce-bearded  captors  had  discovered  I  was 
not  of  their  world,  and  as  they  hurried  me  towards 
their  mysterious  stronghold  I  felt  that,  by  my  own 
recklessness  in  sleeping  within  an  enemy's  camp,  I  had 
sought  my  doom. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

EA. 

As  across  the  plain  my  captors  hurried  me,  I  was 
amazed  at  the  strength  of  the  colossal  walls  of  the 
mysterious  city.  Approaching  one  of  the  great  brazen 
gates,  flanked  on  either  side  by  gigantic,  sculptured 
figures  of  human-headed  monsters,  I  saw  that  the  walls 


292  Gbe  Bse  of  Ustar. 

were  fully  two  hundred  feet  in  height,  their  base 
being  constructed  of  huge  blocks  of  a  polished  stone 
full  of  shells,  and  their  upper  portions  of  sun-dried 
brick,  cased  with  great  slabs  of  granite  cemented  with 
bitumen.  They  exceeded  in  thickness  any  I  had 
previously  seen  ;  the  ramparts,  used  as  a  promenade 
and  drive,  being  fully  eighty  feet  in  breadth,  and 
surmounted  by  hundreds  of  high  watch-towers,  each 
bearing  a  huge  sculpture  of  an  eagle-headed  monster, 
apparently  the  national  emblem. 

Even  from  beneath  the  shadow  of  these  enormous, 
unbreakable  walls  the  crowd  standing  thereon,  watch- 
ing our  advance,  looked  small  as  a  swarm  of  bees,  and 
as  we  neared  the  open  gate  an  excited,  strangely-attired 
mob  came  forth  to  meet  us,  leaping,  yelling  and  press- 
ing round  my  captors,  as  if  eager  to  obtain  sight  of  me. 
All  were  of  pale  complexion.  The  men,  tall  and  mus- 
cular, were  dressed  in  flowing  linen  robes  reaching  to 
the  feet,  over  which  were  garments  of  wool  and  short 
white,  or  crimson,  cloaks  with  embroidered  edges, 
while  those  who  who  were  not  soldiers  each  wore  a 
cylindrical  seal  suspended  from  the  neck,  and  in  their 
hands  bore  staves,  the  head  of  each  being  carved  with 
an  apple,  a  rose,  a  lily,  or  an  eagle.  The  women, 
mostly  handsome  but  all  dark-haired,  were  invariably 
attired  in  white,  their  bare,  finely-moulded  arms  loaded 
with  ornaments,  and  their  waists  girt  by  broad  double 
girdles  of  leather  or  gold  set  with  gems.  Rich  and 
poor  alike  had  apparently  turned  out  to  view  me.  The 
men,  many  of  them  gilt-helmeted  warriors,  drew  their 
swords  and  flourished  them,  yelling  imprecations  in 
their  unknown  tongue,  while  the  women,  some  of  whom 
were  evidently  the  wives  and  daughters  of  wealthy  cit- 
izens, hurled  execrations  upon  me,  and  took  up  stones 
as  if  to  fling  at  me. 


Ja»  293 

Mine  was  indeed  a  hostile  reception.  The  people  of 
this  race  I  had  so  strangely  discovered  seemed  notable 
for  their  extraordinary  tallness  and  grace,  their  hand- 
some, clear-cut  features,  and  their  artistic  mode  of 
dress.  The  wealth  of  the  city  must,  I  thought,  be  im- 
mense, for  the  women  of  the  lowest  class  were  plen- 
tifully adorned  with  gold  ornaments  and  jewels,  and 
the  raven  locks  of  the  men  of  the  upper  classes  were 
curled  and  perfumed,  as  if  aping  a  fashionable  effemi- 
nacy. 

Arrived  at  the  gate,  I  was  struck  by  its  stupendous 
proportions.  The  great  human-headed  lions  standing 
on  either  side  of  the  entrance  were  fully  a  hundred 
feet  in  height,  while  the  road  itself  between  the  two 
sculptured  colossi  consisted  of  a  single  slab  of  black 
stone,  whereon  was  an  inscription  in  the  cuneiform 
character,  the  signs  of  which  had  been  filled  in  with 
copper  kept  bright  by  the  hurrying  sandals  of  the  in- 
habitants. 

As  I  passed  through  and  entered  the  city,  teeming 
with  a  civilization  forgotten  by  the  world  outside,  I 
was  enabled  to  judge  better  the  great  thickness  of  the 
impregnable  fortifications  which  had,  ages  ago,  been 
raised  by  blows  of  the  lash.  Of  such  gigantic  propor- 
tions were  they  that  I  marvelled  how  they  had  ever 
been  constructed.  The  moment  we  entered  the  city 
fifty  trumpets  blared  forth  in  all  directions,  soldiers  in 
helmets  of  gold  and  bronze,  alarmed  by  the  warning 
note,  seized  their  arms  and  dashed  to  their  posts, 
while  behind  us  the  great  gate  quickly  closed,  and 
guards  scrambled  to  the  walls  and  watch-towers  in 
such  numbers  that  they  appeared  like  swarms  of  ants. 

Held  secure  by  a  dozen  sinewy  hands  of  armed 
warriors,  and  surrounded  by  a  yelling  populace,  I  was 
hurried  forward  along  great  thoroughfares  of  enormous 


294  Gbe  Ege  of  10tat. 

houses,  any  of  which  would,  in  my  own  world,  be 
termed  a  palace.  All  were  great,  square,  solid  struc- 
tures of  stone,  constructed  in  three  tiers,  with  broad 
terraces  adorned  with  fine  sculpture,  and  mostly  painted 
in  bright  blues,  reds  and  greens.  One  feature,  how- 
ever, struck  me  as  curious  ;  there  were  neither  win- 
dows nor  lattices.  There  were  a  few  apertures,  these 
being  mostly  closed  by  silken  hangings  or  squares  of 
talc.  The  great  paved  thoroughfares,  through  which 
handsome  chariots,  drawn  by  three  horses  abreast, 
passed  and  re-passed,  were  entirely  different  from  any 
I  had  previously  seen. 

A  clamor  had  been  raised.  The  people  understood  ; 
consternation  ensued  ;  then  an  immense  rage  possessed 
them.  Each  residence  was  surrounded  by  a  high  wall, 
enclosing  shady  gardens  full  of  great,  ancient  trees 
and  cool,  open-air  baths,  while  from  the  terrace  of 
nearly  every  house  women,  white-robed  and  anxious, 
gazed  down  upon  me  with  evident  curiosity,  while  their 
slaves  beside  them  fanned  or  shielded  them  from  the 
sun. 

The  magnificence  of  the  city  was  unequalled.  There 
was  an  air  of  strength  in  every  stone,  and  wealth  in 
every  residence.  Armed  warriors  were  everywhere  ; 
and  as  we  proceeded,  the  crowd  increased  and  the  ex- 
citement rose  to  fever  heat.  Patricians  left  their  pal- 
aces, tradesmen  their  shops,  women  abandoned  their 
children.  The  report  of  my  discovery  and  capture 
had  apparently  passed  rapidly  from  mouth  to  mouth, 
and  those  responsible  for  the  defence  of  the  great  city 
had  alarmed  the  guard,  and  closed  its  hundred  gates, 
fearing  lest  spies  should  enter  or  leave. 

As  we  passed  through  one  handsome  street  after  an- 
other, the  multitude  following,  straining  their  necks  to 
catch  a  glimpse  of  me,  acted  in  a  manner  that  aroused 


J6a.  295 

my  curiosity.  The  gfrls  and  women,  after  gazing  into 
my  face,  turned  westward  to  where,  high  upon  the  hill- 
top, the  huge,  handsome  tower,  painted  in  many  colors, 
loomed  against  the  bright  sky,  and  raising  their  right 
hands  towards  it,  they  placed  their  left  upon  their 
heads,  crying  aloud  some  strange,  cabalistic  words. 
Their  actions  puzzled  me,  but  subsequently  I  ascer- 
tained that  the  tower  towards  which  they  turned  was 
the  temple  of  Astarte,  and  that  they  invoked  upon  me 
the  curse  of  the  goddess,  to  whom  they  were  by  law 
each  compelled  to  make  sacrifice  once  in  their  lives. 
The  men  also  lifted  their  hands  to  the  temple  of  Rim- 
mon,  the  Air-god  and  Destroyer,  the  tower  of  which 
rose  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  great  city,  and  from 
their  thousand  brazen  throats  cried  maledictions  upon 
me,  and  called  forth  the  most  terrible  vengeance  of 
their  gods. 

Many  rushed  towards  me  with  uplifted  staves,  and 
even  the  soldiers  themselves  shook  their  naked  blades 
at  me  threateningly,  but  any  such  hostile  demonstra- 
tion was  promptly  suppressed  by  my  escort  pressing 
closely  around  me,  guarding  me  from  the  irate  mob, 
yet,  at  the  same  time,  looking  upon  me  with  suspicious 
dread. 

With  closed  gates  the  city  was  agog,  the  guards 
watchful,  the  excited  populace  on  their  housetops  and 
terraces,  wringing  their  hands  in  sheer  desperation, 
straining  their  eyes  to  catch  sight  of  my  ragged,  un- 
kempt form  ;  while  the  surging,  turbulent  crowd  about 
me  went  mad  with  rage.  What  treatment  I  was  about 
to  receive  at  the  hands  of  my  captors  I  dreaded  to 
contemplate,  but  remembering  the  ominous  words 
engraven  on  the  tablet  of  Semiramis  I  felt  that  the 
penalty  for  being  found  in  the  precincts  of  that  forbid- 
den region  was  death  ;  for  was  I  not  in  the  Land  of 


296  Gbe  JEge  of  Istar. 

the  No  Return  ?  Yet,  ignorant  of  this  strange  tongue, 
I  could  neither  appeal  for  clemency  nor  make  explana- 
tion ;  therefore,  forced  to  keep  the  seal  of  silence  upon 
my  lips,  I  took  in  every  detail  of  the  extraordinary 
scene,  the  magnificence  and  architectural  wonders  of 
the  city,  and  the  dress  and  habits  of  this  newly-discov- 
ered race. 

At  a  distance  of  about  half  a  league  from  the  gate 
whereat  we  had  entered  we  passed  through  a  second 
brazen  portal  of  equal  dimensions  to  the  first,  guarded, 
as  before,  by  a  colossal  winged  monster  in  black  stone 
on  either  side.  The  single  slab  placed  between  the  two 
figures  was,  in  the  same  manner  as  that  at  the  outer 
gate,  inscribed  with  many  lines  of  half-obliterated 
arrowheads,  but  above,  suspended  from  a  great  chain 
stretched  between  the  stone  monsters,  was  a  large 
figure  of  the  human-headed  lion  in  burnished  copper. 
Here  again  the  walls,  fully  a  hundred  feet  in  height, 
were  of  enormous  thickness,  and  as  we  entered  the 
great  paved  court  the  ponderous  gates  were  closed  in 
face  of  the  howling,  execrating  mob. 

Warriors  of  Ea  in  their  bright  helmets  and  shining 
breastplates,  bearing  glittering  spears,  swarmed  every- 
where, and  as  I  was  hurried  across  the  open  court  they 
pressed  around,  as  eager  to  view  me  as  if  I  were-  of 
some  unknown  species.  A  magnificent  war-chariot, 
the  sides  of  which  were  of  beaten  gold,  with  quivers 
full  of  arrows  hanging  in  readiness  in  the  front,  was 
standing.  The  four  splendid  white  horses  harnessed 
to  it  champed  their  bits  and  pawed  the  ground  ready 
to  start,  and  the  driver,  with  shield  and  spear  in  hand, 
held  the  reins,  prepared  to  step  in  and  drive  on  through 
the  opposite  gate  at  any  instant. 

The  man  craned  his  neck  as  I  passed,  but  my  face 
was  more  eagerly  scanned  by  a  richly-dressed  woman 


Ba.  297 

in  gold-embroidered  robes  who  stood  beside  him.  The 
look  of  abject  terror  in  her  eyes  caused  me  to  give  her 
a  second  glance,  and  next  instant  I  recollected  her 
features. 

It  was  the  woman  who  had  been  placed  upon  the 
torture-wheel,  and  whose  bonds  I  had  severed.  Who 
was  she  ?  What  was  she  ?  I  wondered.  Our  eyes 
met,  and  she  started.  The  color  left  her  face  when  she 
saw  I  had  recognized  her.  Then  turning  from  me  in 
the  direction  of  the  temple  of  Astarte,  she  raised  her 
long,  white  arm,  and  with  her  hair  falling  to  her  waist, 
gave  utterance  to  that  unknown  invocation  that  fell 
from  each  woman's  lips. 

A  moment  later  I  lost  sight  of  her,  being  con- 
ducted up  a  gradual  incline  and  through  many  gates, 
strongly  guarded  by  soldiers,  whose  arms  flashed  and 
gleamed  in  the  brilliant  sunlight.  The  blare  of  brazen 
horns  and  the  clash  of  cymbals  echoed  everywhere 
among  the  great  windowless  buildings  ranged  around 
the  courtyard,  until  suddenly  we  came  to  yet  another 
gate,  which  was  closed.  Thrice  a  trumpeter  blew 
long,  deep  blasts,  and  when  at  length  it  opened  there 
was  revealed,  standing  alone,  an  aged  priest,  whose 
snow-white  beard  swept  to  his  waist.  Attired  in  white 
robes  of  gold-embroidered  silk,  with  a  strange  head- 
dress of  gold,  fashioned  to  represent  the  sun,  he  uttered 
some  unintelligible  words  in  a  deep  voice,  slowly  rais- 
ing his  arms  as  if  in  supplication  to  heaven. 

As  he  did  so  a  dead  silence  fell  upon  my  captors, 
who,  impressed  by  his  presence,  halted  and  bent  their 
heads,  mumbling  strangely.  For  a  few  minutes  the 
old  priest  remained  calm  and  statuesque,  then,  with  a 
few  final  words,  he  walked  slowly  aside  and  was  lost  to 
view,  while  we  continued  our  way  across  a  court  where 
the  exteriors  of  the  buildings  were  beautifully  sculp- 


298  Cbe  JE^e  of  1fstac» 

tured,  and  where  there  were  many  shady  trees  and 
sweet-smelling  flowers.  These  people  were  a  nation 
of  Infidels,  who  knew  nothing  of  Allah,  or  his  Prophet, 
and  who  bowed  before  images  of  wood  and  stone. 
They  had  faith  in  the  sun,  moon  and  stars,  and  con- 
sulted them.  When  good  or  evil  befell  them,  they  as- 
cribed it  to  their  celestial  gods  being  favorable  or 
unfavorable.  The  worship  of  these  gods  was  directed 
by  the  priests,  who  were  guided  in  their  turn  by  sooth- 
sayers and  magicians. 

Half-way  across  this  open  space,  however,  my  cap- 
tors pulled  up  before  a  wide  door,  guarded  by  two  re- 
cumbent figures  of  winged  monsters  similar  to  those  at 
the  outer  gates,  and  entering  a  long,  dark,  stone  corri- 
dor, the  walls  of  which  were  formed  of  strange  bas- 
reliefs,  they  led  me  at  last  down  a  flight  of  steps  to  a 
spacious,  dimly-lit  apartment  with  walls,  roof  and  floor 
of  stone. 

When  they  had  left  me,  and  their  receding  footsteps 
and  strangely-hushed  voices  had  died  away,  I  started 
to  examine  the  cell.  It  was  a  large  place,  air  being  ad- 
mitted by  a  door  of  strong  iron  bars  that  led  into  a 
kind  of  paved  and  covered  patio.  Towards  the  door  I 
strode,  and  with  my  face  against  the  bars  was  peering 
out  into  the  gloomy  place  beyond,  when  suddenly  a 
deep  roar,  that  made  the  very  walls  shake,  startled  me, 
causing  me  to  draw  back. 

I  did  so  only  just  in  time,  for  at  the  same  moment  a 
great,  shaggy  body  hurled  itself  against  the  bars,  bend- 
ing them,  causing  them  to  rattle,  and  for  an  instant 
shutting  out  the  faint  glimmer  of  gray  light.  Then,  as 
it  fell  back,  gnashing  'its  teeth,  lashing  its  tail  and  roar- 
ing with  rage  at  having  lost  its  prey,  I  saw,  to  my 
horror,  that  it  was  a  great  lion,  a  veritable  king  of  the 
forest. 


JEa.  299 

With  its  snout  against  the  bars  it  stood,  rolling  its 
eyes,  lashing  its  tail  from  side  to  side  and  glaring  at 
me,  while  I  shrank  back  trembling,  for  I  now  knew  the 
intention  of  my  captors  was  to  cast  me  to  the  lions  to 
be  torn  limb  from  limb. 

What  I  had  at  first  imagined  to  be  a  courtyard  or 
patio  was,  in  reality,  part  of  the  lion-pit,  above  which 
were  ranged  many  tiers  of  seats  for  spectators  who 
came  on  holidays  to  witness  the  helpless  victims  being 
devoured  by  the  beasts.  The  cell  in  which  I  was  con- 
fined was  where  captives  were  kept  in  readiness  for  the 
entertainments,  for  on  examination  I  found  that  the 
iron  door  could  be  raised  from  above,  the  beasts  being 
thus  admitted  to  my  cell  without  the  gaoler  running 
the  risk  of  entering  to  admit  the  animals. 

Many  inscriptions  were  rudely  scratched  upon  the 
walls  ;  but  although  I  endeavored  to  decipher  some  of 
them,  the. only  signs  I  could,  in  that  dim  light,  distin- 
guish were,  "  Li-ru-ru-su  lu-bal-lu."  These  oft-re- 
peated Assyrian  words,  scratched  and  engraven  by 
many  hands,  meant,  "  May  the  gods  curse  her,  may 
they  devour  her  !  " 

Slowly  the  hours  crept  on,  but  the  fierce  animal, 
crouching  at  the  door  of  my  cell,  held  himself  in  readi- 
ness to  pounce  upon  me  if  I  should  emerge.  He  never 
took  his  fiery  eyes  from  me.  My  every  movement  he 
watched,  silent  and  cat-like,  scarcely  moving  for  an 
hour  together.  I  knew  that  sooner  or  later  I  should 
be  torn  asunder  by  those  cruel  teeth  the  beast  dis- 
played as  he  yawned  widely  in  contemplation  of  ap- 
peasing his  hunger,  and  upon  me  there  fell  a  settled 
despair.  Alone  and  helpless  I  paced  the  stones,  worn 
smooth  and  bright  by  the  nervous  tramp  of  thousands 
of  previous  victims,  longing  for  the  end.  Death  was 
preferable  to  that  terrible,  breathless  suspense. 


300  Gbe  fcyc  of  flstar. 

Presently,  when  I  had  been  there  fully  three  hours,  I 
heard  the  sounds  of  reed  instruments,  clashing  cymbals 
and  rolling  drums  outside,  followed  by  the  hum  of 
human  voices,  at  first  low  and  distant,  but,  as  another 
hour  wore  on,  increasing  in  Volume.  Shouts  and  light 
laughter  reached  me,  and,  by  the  excited  manner  the 
dozen  lions  paced  and  repaced  before  my  cell,  I  felt 
instinctively  that  the  great  amphitheatre  was  now  filled 
with  eager  spectators. 

Each  moment  seemed  an  hour.  Awaiting  my  doom, 
I  stood  with  my  back  against  the  heavy-bolted  door  by 
which  I  had  entered,  with  bated  breath,  striving  to 
meet  my  end  with  fortitude.  Hoping  against  hope,  my 
strained  eyes  were  watching  the  iron  bars  that  sepa- 
rated me  from  the  hungry  beasts,  dreading  each  mo- 
ment that  they  would  be  lifted. 

Suddenly,  as  I  stood  thinking  of  Azala,  wondering 
how  she  had  fared,  and  whether  Tiamo  had  yet  reached 
Kano  with  news  of  my  death,  one  of  the  shaggy  beasts 
sprang  past  my  bars,  and  next  second  a  dull  roar  of 
applause  and  the  loud  clapping  of  hands  broke  upon  my 
ear. 

A  dead  silence  was  again  followed  by  the  wild 
plaudits  of  the  multitude. 

Again  and  again  this  was  repeated  ;  then  there 
seemed  a  long  wait.  Apparently  I  was  considered  a 
valuable  prize,  and  it  was  probable  that  my  turn  was 
next. 

At  that  moment  one  of  the  lions  slunk  past  my  cell 
to  his  lair,  his  tail  trailing  on  the  ground  and  bearing 
between  his  teeth  some  object. 

There  crept  over  me  a  strange  faintness  such  as  1 
had  never  before  experienced.  Yet  I  strove  against  it, 
supporting  myself  against  the  wall,  and  knowing  that 
my  fate  could  not  be  much  longer  delayed. 


JCa. 


301 


Those  moments  were  full  of  breathless  horror.  From 
where  I  stood  I  could  hear  the  animals  crunching 
bones  between  their  teeth.  They  were  preparing  them- 
selves for  another  victim.  My  blood  froze  in  my 
veins. 

The  fatal  moment  at  last  came.  A  loud,  grating 
noise  sounded  in  the  roof  of  the  cell,  and  slowly  the 
iron  bars  were  lifted  bodily,  removing  the  barrier 
between  myself  and  death. 

I  stood  paralyzed  by  fear.  Another  moment  and  I 
should  cease  to  live  !  Yet  in  that  brief  instant  a  flood 
of  memories  surged  though  my  turbulent  brain,  and 
the  thought  of  my  terrible  doom  was  rendered  the  more 
acute  because  I  had  actually  succeeded  in  gaining  the 
Land  of  the  No  Return  when  all  others  had  failed. 

But  before  me  was  only  a  death  most  terrible,  and  I 
had  no  means  by  which  to  defend  myself. 

One  of  the  beasts,  slinking  slowly  across  the  pave- 
ment some  distance  away,  espied  me.  Turning,  he 
sniffed  quickly,  crouched,  and  with  an  exultant  bound 
sprang  towards  me. 

In  that  instant,  however,  by  what  means  I  know  not, 
the  iron  gate  fell  with  a  metallic  clang  into  its  place, 
and  the  animal,  thus  frustrated,  crashed  against  the 
bars  and  tumbled  back  with  a  terrible  roar  of  rage. 

It  was  a  hairbreadth  escape.  For  a  moment  I  was 
saved, 

Seconds,  full  of  breathless  suspense,  passed.  Horror- 
stricken,  my  eyes  were  fixed  upon  those  iron  bars,  fear- 
ing lest  they  should  rise  again,  but  it  seemed  that  by 
design,  and  not  by  accident,  the  gate  had  fallen.  Time 
after  time  the  shouts  of  the  assembled  multitude  rent 
the  hot  air  as  the  prowling  beasts  pounced  upon  the 
captives.  Still  the  iron  bars  of  my  cell  rose  not  again, 
and  at  last,  when  the  animals  had  slunk  into  their  lairs 


302  Gbe  EEC  of  Ifstar. 


to  sleep,  and  the  spectators  had  departed,  I  cast  myself 
into  a  corner  of  my  cell  to  rest  and  think. 

Darkness  crept  on^apace  ;  the  quiet  was  broken  only 
by  the  low,  uneasy  roar  of  the  lions,  and  at  length  a 
single  streak  of  bright  moonlight  fell  across  the  payed 
court  outside.  In  order  to  occupy  my  thoughts,  I  tried 
to  decipher  some  of  the  engraven  inscriptions  by  feel- 
ing them  with  my  finger-tips.  This,  however,  was  not 
successful,  because  the  unfortunate  wretches  confined 
there  had  possessed  no  proper  tools  with  which  to  chip 
the  stone.  At  length,  however,  footsteps  resounded 
outside,  the  bolts  of  the  heavy  door  grated  in  their 
sockets,  and  as  I  started  up,  four  soldiers,  two  of  whom 
bore  lighted  flambeaux,  entered,  ordering  me,  by  signs, 
to  accompany  them. 

Eager  to  escape  from  the  lion-pit  I  Waited  not  for  a 
second  invitation,  but  hurried  with  them  away  up  the 
steps,  along  the  echoing  corridor  and  out  into  the 
moonlit  court.  All  four  grinned  sardonically  at  the 
eagerness  with  which  I  left  the  dreaded  cell,  but  direct- 
ing my  footsteps  across  two  magnificent  courts,  we 
came  to  a  great  open  space,  in  the  centre  of  which  rose 
the  enormous  temple-tower  of  Astarte,  before  the  en- 
trance of  which  a  fire-altar  burned.  The  high  tower, 
which  I  had  seen  from  afar,  was,  I  found,  erected  in 
seven  square  stages,  each  smaller  than  the  other  and 
colored  differently,  rising  to  such  an  enormous  height 
that  its  summit  seemed  almost  beyond  human  gaze. 
The  base  was  of  stupendous  dimensions,  and  as  we 
skirted  it  two  clean-shaven  eunuchs,  in  flowing  robes  of 
bright  crimson,  guarded  its  alabaster  portals,  while 
others  stood  beside  the  fire-altar,  silent  and  motionless. 
Over  the  great  entrance  to  this  temple  of  the  Seven 
Lights,  approached  by  a  broad  flight  of  marble  steps, 
was  an  enormous  representation  of  the  circle,  in  which 


J6a.  303 

was  the  winged  figure  of  a  man  in  the  act  of  discharging 
an  arrow,  but  having  the  tail  of  a  bird.  This  symbol, 
denoting  time  without  bounds,  or  eternity,  the  image 
with  its  wings  and  tail  of  a  dove  showing  the  associa- 
tion of  Astarte,  was  the  sacred  emblem  of  Baal,  and  I 
therefore  knew  that  this  magnificent  and  wonderful 
temple  was  devoted  to  the  supreme  'deity  Belus,  the 
altar  of  which  stood  ever-ready  for  the  sacrifice. 
Women,  in  soft,  clinging  robes  of  white  and  gold,  flitted 
in  and  out  like  shadows,  while  others  wandered  in 
pairs  under  the  great  trees,  chatting,  laughing  and  en- 
joying the  cool,  bright  night? 

Presently  we  came  to  yet  another  huge  gateway, 
consisting  of  two  colossal  female  figures  carved  from 
the  solid  rock,  rising  to  a  terrific  height,  and  bearing 
upon  their  heads  the  enormous  block  of  stone  forming 
the  top  of  the  imposing  entrance.  The  stupendous 
proportions  of  the  gate  amazed  me,  but  facing  us,  as 
we  passed  through,  was  a  wonderful  structure,  more 
extensive  and  more  imposing  than  I  had  ever  seen, 
rising  high  above  us  and  approached  by  a  flight  of  a 
thousand  stone  steps  of  great  width.  Upon  each  step 
stood  two  spearmen,  one  on  either  side,  so  that  the 
approach  to  the  magnificent  entrance  to  the  royal  palace 
was  guarded  day  and  night  by  no  fewer  than  two 
thousand  armed  men,  standing  there,  veritable  giants, 
mute,  silent,  and  ever  watchful. 

The  scene  was  weird  and  imposing.  As  we  stood  at 
the  foot  of  the  steps  we  gazed  up  between  the  files  of 
warriors  armed  with  shining  steel.  Above,  on  either 
side  of  the  giant  portal,  great  fires  leaped  from  enor- 
mous braziers,  the  red  flames  illuminating,  with  a  lurid 
brilliancy,  the  wonderful,  massive  sculptured  fagade, 
and  shedding  a  fitful  glow  upon  the  lines  of  statuesque 
warriors. 


304  Gbe  Bse  of  IFstar. 

Having  passed  through  the  gateway,  we  started  to 
ascend  the  steps,  but  ere  we  set  foot  on  the  first,  our 
passage  was  barred  by  two  thousand  glittering  spears 
meeting  one  another  with  a  ringing  clash,  and  present- 
ing an  impassable  barrier  of  steel.  Our  progress  thus 
arrested,  we  halted,  and  at  the  same  time  one  of  my 
conductors  shouted  some  strange  words,  producing 
from  the  leathern  pouch  suspended  at  his  side  a  small 
hollow  cylinder  of  gray  baked  clay,  which  he  held 
above  his  head.  In  a  moment  two  stalwart  men, 
evidently  officers,  wearing  breastplates  of  beaten  gold, 
advanced  and  eagerly  scrutinized  the  cylinder.  Hav- 
ing carefully  read  some  words  thereon  inscribed,  they 
examined  the  impression  of  the  seal.  Both  men  having 
satisfied  themselves  that  our  credential  was  genuine, 
regarded  me  with  mixed  curiosity  and  awe,  then  shouted 
an  order  which  caused  the  long  lines  of  guards  to  with- 
draw their  spears  with  a  clash  at  the  same  moment, 
almost  as  if  they  were  one  man. 

The  great  steps  were  high  and  steep,  and  the  ascent 
long  and  tedious.  Once  or  twice  we  halted  to  regain 
breath,  then  panting  on  again,  climbed  higher  and  yet 
higher  towards  the  most  gigantic  and  wonderful  palace 
in  the  world.  Half-way  up  I  turned,  and  saw  the 
immense  city  of  Ea,  full  of  bright  lights  and  gaiety, 
lying  deep  below,  while  beyond  was  a  background  of 
towering,  snow-capped  mountains,  looking  almost  fairy- 
like  under  the  brilliant  moon. 

So  extraordinary  was  the  scene,  and  of  such  colossal 
proportions  was  the  palace,  that  I  felt  inclined  to  doubt 
my  own  eyes  ;  yet  it  was'no  dream.  I  was  actually  in 
Ea,  approaching  a  structure,  the  mere,  fantastically- 
sculptured  fayade  of  which  was  of  such  height  and 
magnitude  that,  even  though  my  eyes  were  dazzled,  I 
marvelled  at  the  many  slaves  who  had  doubtless  been 
engaged  in  its  construction. 


Ba.  305 

At  last,  gaping  and  bewildered,  I  stood  upon  the 
great  paved  area  before  the  gigantic  entrance,  on  either 
side  of  which  were  colossal  winged  bulls  sculptured 
from  white  alabaster.  Ere  we  were  allowed  to  pro- 
ceed we  were  compelled  to  again  exhibit  the  strange 
clay  cylinder,  and  then  were  permitted  to  pass  between 
the  enormous  bulls,  finding  ourselves  in  a  vast  hall  lit 
by  flaming  braziers.  Upon  the  alabaster  walls  were 
the  sculptured  records  of  the  empire.  Battles,  sieges, 
triumphs,  the  exploits  of  the  chase,  the  ceremonies  of 
religion  were  there  portrayed,  delicately  sculptured 
and  painted  in  bright  colors.  Beneath  each  picture 
was  engraved,  in  characters  filled  up  with  bright  cop- 
per, inscriptions  describing  the  scene  represented. 
Above  these  sculptures  were  painted  other  events — 
monarchs,  attended  by  eunuchs  and  warriors,  receiving 
their  prisoners,  entering  into  alliances  with  other  mon- 
archs, or  performing  some  sacred  duty.  The  emblem- 
atic tree,  similar  to  the  one  I  had  discovered  upon  the 
tablet  of  Semiramis,  winged  bulls  and  monstrous,  eagle- 
headed  animals  were  conspicuous  among  the  ornaments 
of  the  colored  borders  enclosing  these  strange  wall- 
pictures.  At  the  upper  end  of  the  hall  was  a  colossal 
statue  of  a  queen,  evidently  Semiramis  herself,  in 
adoration  before  the  supreme  deity,  her  robes  being 
adorned  by  lines  of  arrowheads,  groups  of  figures,  an- 
imals and  flowers,  all  painted  in  brilliant  hues,  a  group 
of  white-robed  women  praying  before  her.  Several 
doorways,  formed  by  gigantic  winged  horses  and  lions, 
or  human-headed  monsters,  led  into  other  apartments, 
in  each  of  which  were  more  sculptures,  while  the  ala- 
baster slabs  upon  which  we  trod  each  bore  an  inscrip- 
tion recording  the  titles,  genealogy  and  achievements 
of  some  monarch  of  past  ages. 

It  was  indeed  an  entrance  of  amazing  magnificence, 


306  tlbe  J£>ye  of  flstar. 

with  ceiling  of  massive  beams  of  dull  gold,  but  mere 
stupendous  still  were  the  many  vast  apartments  through 
which  I  was  ushered.  Elegant  women  of  the  court, 
unveiled,  reclining  on  couches,  and  attended  by  slaves 
who  slowly  fanned  them,  gazed  at  us  languidly  as  we 
passed,  and  from  some  of  the  great  chambers  there 
came  sounds  of  stringed  instruments  and  cymbals 
where  women  were  revelling  and  dancing.  At  each 
door  were  stationed  four  warriors,  wearing  breastplates 
of  gold,  and  standing  motionless,  with  drawn  blades, 
while  above  the  entrances  the  brazen  sign  of  the  deity 
was  invariably  suspended  by  a  chain. 

The  palace  was  bewildering  in  magnificence,  amazing 
in  extent. 

At  last,  turning  suddenly  to  the  right,  we  entered  a 
small  chamber  crowded  by  courtiers,  soldiers  and 
slaves,  who,  however,  spoke  only  in  hushed  tones. 
Here  our  appearance  caused  the  utmost  consternation, 
and  the  men  drew  back,  as  if  fearing  that  my  touch 
might  contaminate  them.  Two  courtiers,  however, 
emerged  from  the  crowd,  and,  having  held  a  conversa- 
tion with  my  guides  in  an  undertone,  they  produced 
under-robes  of  linen,  a  rich  outer  garment  of  green 
silk,  and  sandals  such  as  they  themselves  wore.  By 
signs  they  commanded  me  to  assume  them,  and  when 
I  had  discarded  my  old,  dirty  and  tattered  gandoura, 
and  attired  myself  in  their  strange  dress,  I  paused, 
wondering  what  strange  adventure  would  next  befall 
me. 

Great  curtains  of  yellow  silk,  upon  which  hideous 
monsters  had  been  embroidered,  hid  the  opposite  en- 
trance, which  was  guarded  by  a  body  of  twelve  armed 
men,  whom  I  knew  to  be  eunuchs  by  their  clean-shaven 
faces  and  curious,  golden  head-dresses. 

Suddenly  four  trumpeters— two  stationed  on  either 


latar.  307 

side — raised  their  enormous  horns  of  gold,  and  with 
one  accord  blew  three  ear-piercing  blasts,  at  sound  of 
which  all  present  bowed  low  in  the  direction  of  the 
curtains,  an  example  which  my  guides  motioned  me  to 
follow. 

As  we  did  so  the  great  silken  hangings  slowly  parted, 
revealing  a  scene  so  unexpected  and  dazzling  that  I 
stood  agape  in  stupefaction.  It  was  marvellous,  in- 
credible, astounding  ;  its  brilliancy  caused  my  bewil- 
dered eyes  to  blind  ;  its  striking  splendor  filled  me 
with  amazement.  I  stood  lost  in  wonder  ;  held  in  fas- 
cination. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

ISTAR. 

THE  great  apartment  was  very  lofty.  Innumerable 
openings  pierced  its  vaulted  ceiling,  through  which 
the  bright  stars  were  visible.  Upon  the  walls  of  ala- 
baster, half  hidden  by  rich  hangings  of  purple  silk, 
were  portrayed  winged  priests  or  presiding  deities 
standing  before  the  sacred  trees,  armed  men  and 
eunuchs  following  their  queen,  warriors  laden  with 
spoil,  leading  prisoners,  or  bearing  presents  and  offer- 
ings to  their  gods.  The  pavement,  highly  polished, 
was  encrusted  with  gold,  mother-of-pearl  and  glass  ; 
the  ceiling  was  of  ivory,  and  in  the  knots  of  the  gilded 
beams  were  set  great  turquoises  and  shining  ame- 
thysts. 

At  every  step  in  this  wonderful  temple  and  palace 
combined,  an  increasing  immensity  had  surrounded 
me,  and  now,  as  the  veil  was  withdrawn,  revealing  this 


308  Gbe  £ge  of  Istar. 

most  gorgeous  and  luxurious  apartment,  I  knew  not 
how  to  act.  An  incertitude  intimidated  me. 

With  body  still  bent,  like  those  of  the  crowd  of  cour- 
tiers and  eunuchs  among  whom  I  stood,  I  nevertheless 
raised  my  eyes.  Beyond  the  pearl  and  golden  pave- 
ment before  me  rose  twelve  semi-circular  steps  of  silver, 
leading  up  to  a  great  throne  of  glittering  crystal,  which, 
in  the  bright  white  light  shining  upon  it  from  four 
apertures  in  the  ceiling,  gleamed  with  an  iridescent 
fire.  Upon  this  couch,  the  supports  of  which  were  four 
winged  bulls,  fashioned  from  solid  blocks  of  flawless 
crystal,  the  back  consisting  of  an  enormous  crystal 
representation  of  the  winged  figure  in  the  circle,  the 
supreme  deity,  and  adorned  with  the  heads  and  feet  of 
the  lion  and  the  ram,  a  lion's  skin  was  spread.  Reclin- 
ing upon  it  in  graceful  abandon,  the  rings  of  her  wavy 
hair  tumbled  about  her  in  such  abundance  that  she 
appeared  actually  to  lie  on  a  mass  of  golden  sheen,  was 
a  woman  of  exquisite  beauty.  Attired  in  a  loose,  white 
robe,  sparkling  with  diamonds  from  neck  to  foot,  her 
waist  girt  by  a  wide  girdle  of  wonderful  emeralds,  her 
bare  neck,  arms  and  ankles  loaded  with  magnificent 
jewels,  the  effect  under  the  bright  rays  was  absolutely 
dazzling.  The  crystal  throne  shed  all  colors  of  the 
spectrum,  but  its  bejewelled  occupant  at  every  move- 
ment seemed  to  flash  and  gleam  with  a  thousand  fires. 

She  was  of  amazing  beauty,  with  white,  delicately- 
moulded  limbs,  tiny  hands  and  feet,  eyes  half-closed, 
and  as  her  dimpled  chin  rested  upon  her  bejewelled  arm 
her  clinging  robe  indistinctly  defined  the  graceful  out- 
lines of  her  form,  and  her  breasts  rose  and  fell  slowly 
as  she  breathed. 

Two  gorgeously-attired  priests,  on  either  side  of  the 
great  crystal  throne,  stood  with  crossed  hands,  silent 
as  statues.  In  strange,  high  head-dresses,  surmounted 


Istac  309 

by  silver  stars,  and  attired  in  robes  of  silver,  they 
gazed  down  upon  us  without  moving  a  muscle.  Near 
the  throne,  three  gigantic  negro  slaves  in  leopard-skins, 
cooled  the  reclining  beauty  with  great  fans  of  flamin- 
goes' wings,  while,  grouped  around,  ready  at  any  mo- 
ment to  execute  their  mistress's  slightest  wish,  stood 
a  hundred  waiting-women,  eunuchs  and  slaves.  The 
vapors  of  exquisite  perfumes  floated  everywhere. 

As  we  halted,  with  bent  heads,  before  the  wonderful 
throne,  its  occupant  slowly  stretched  her  white  arm  be- 
yond her  head,  and,  opening  her  eyes,  her  gaze  fell  upon 
us.  Two  female  attendants  immediately  advanced  and 
encased  her  tiny,  bare  feet  in  slippers  of  serpent  skin. 

When  they  had  returned  to  their  places  she  slowly 
raised  herself  upon  her  elbow,  and,  with  her  chin 
upon  her  palm,  raised  her  right  hand,  pointing  upward. 
Instantly  there  appeared,  high  upon  the  wall  above  the 
crystal  throne,  where  the  signs  of  tlie  deity  were  sculp- 
tured, in  letters  of  fire  the  height  of  a  man,  an  inscrip- 
tion in  the  cuneiform  character.  As  it  appeared, 
priests,  eunuchs,  slaves  and  attendants  surrounding  her 
sank  upon  their  knees,  and,  in  awed  silence,  pressed 
their  brows  to  the  pavement. 

Lifting  my  bewildered  eyes  to  the  fiery  lines,  I  gazed 
beyond  the  wondrous  medley  of  inshot  colors  and  pre- 
cious stones,  and  read, — 

"  I  am  Istar,  Supreme  on  Earth  and  in  Heaven,  Ruler  of 
the  Present  and  the  Hereafter,  who  holdeth  the  lives  of  all 
men  in  the  hollow  of  my  hand.  Every  man  is  my  slave : 
every  woman  shalt  sacrifice  unto  me  in  the  House  of  Lustre. 
Those  who  break  my  commandments  Anu  and  Rimmon,  the 
gods  great,  shall  destroy  and  devonr.  Thus  I  speak." 

Thrice  the  Queen  of  Ea  raised  her  slim  hand,  and 
thrice  the  lines  of  enormous  arrowheads  glowed  red 


310  Gbe  JEge  of  Istar. 

and  fiery  like  living  coals,  each  time  disappearing  and 
leaving  no  trace  upon  the  wall.  The  silence  was  com- 
plete, broken  only  by  the  crackling  of  the  herbs  as  they 
burned  in  the  great,  golden  perfuming-pans,  but,  as  the 
letters  of  fire  died  away  for  the  last  time,  the  beautiful 
woman,  with  tranquil  eyes,  slowly  placed  her  foot  upon 
the  bare  backs  of  the  two  women  who  were  lying  upon 
their  faces,  forming  a  footstool  before  the  throne,  and, 
with  languorous  grace,  rose  and  stood  upon  their  pros- 
trate bodies.  Then,  outstretching  her  arms,  she  stood 
gazing  upon  us,  as  if  giving  us  her  blessing,  and  next 
second  my  companions,  raising  themselves,  shouted 
with  one  voice,  "  I  star  sa-la-dhu  yusapri.  I  la-tu  nahdu 
nemicu  banat  sini  makhri  naku  ci  nasu-sa-eni  !  " 

These  words,  in  the  ancient  language  of  Babylon,  I 
was  able  to  understand.  Outside  the  palace  a  corrupted 
tongue  was  spoken,  but  here,  before  the  Queen,  wor- 
shipped as  goddess,  only  the  original  tongue  was  heard. 
The  words  uttered  by  my  companions  were, — 

"  Lo  !  Istar,  the  Ruler,  is  revealed  !  Thou  art  the 
glorious  Lady  of  Wisdom,  beauteous  daughter  of  the 
Moon-god,  Sin.  Before  thee  our  wives  and  our  daugh- 
ters make  sacrifice,  and  to  thee  we,  thy  suppliant  slaves, 
raise  our  eyes.  Thou  art  our  deity  !  " 

As  their  echoing  voices  died  away,  the  Queen,  fanned 
by  her  sphinx-like  attendants,  slowly  re-seated  herself 
upon  the  crystal  throne.  A  languid  expression  settled 
upon  her  features,  and,  with  her  foot  upon  the  neck  of 
one  of  the  women  before  her,  she  lounged,  one  hand 
thrown  carelessly  over  the  crystal,  human-headed  mon- 
ster that  formed  the  arm  of  the  gorgeous  seat  of  royalty, 
and  the  other  toying  with  the  emeralds  in  her  girdle. 

From  the  crowd  surrounding  me,  there  stepped  for- 
ward upon  the  pavement  of  pearl  and  gold,  a  tall, 
white-bearded  man  in  a  breastplate  of  green  serpent 


fstat.  311 

skin,  denoting  that  he  was  a  high-priest,  on  either  side 
of  him  standing  a  trumpeter.  Thrice  their  loud  blasts 
awakened  the  echoes  of  the  chambers  around,  then  Is- 
tar,  casting  an  inquiring  glance  towards  the  man,  com- 
manded him  to  speak. 

He  hesitated,  his  trembling  hand  resting  upon  the 
bejewelled  hilt  of  his  sword,  and  the  little  gold  bells, 
sewn  at  the  hem  of  his  robe,  tinkling  musically. 

"  Speak  !  O  Rab-bani,  son  of  Nabu-ahe-iddina.  Why 
demandest  thou  an  audience  in  this  my  dwelling-place  ? 
Why  goest  thou  not  unto  the  temple  to  make  sacrifice 
be.fore  the  golden  image  ?  " 

"  Let  not  anger  consume  thee,  O  Queen  of  All  the 
Gods,"  cried  Rab-bani,  lifting  his  hand  in  supplication, 
and  falling  upon  his  knees.  "We  have  ventured  into 
this  Everlasting  House,  passed  the  Gate  of  Glory,  and 
entered  into  the  House  of  the  Raising  of  the  Head, 
because  there  is  one  evil-doer  among  us,  with  whom 
thou  alone  in  thy  majesty  and  power  canst  deal." 

A  smile  crossed  the  face  of  the  living  goddess,  and 
at  the  same  moment  a  tame  lioness,  walking  past  the 
silent  priests  of  Istar,  halted  before  its  royal  mistress, 
who,  with  her  soft  hand,  patted  its  sleek  back,  as  a 
woman  caresses  a  spaniel. 

"  I  am  in  no  mood  to  decide  what  punishment  shall 
be  meted  out  to  evil-doers.  I  leave  that  to  my  judges," 
she  answered,  with  a  quick  gesture  of  impatience. 

"  Lend  us  thine  ear,  O  Queen,  whose  name  we  dare 
not  utter  beyond  these  walls,  whose  tongue  is  unknown, 
save  to  thy  priests,  eunuchs  and  courtiers,  and  to  whom 
every  woman  maketh  sacrifice.  Cast  us  not  forth  from 
thy  presence,  for  assuredly  thy  slaves  are  faithful  and 
bear  the  information  which,  though  it  be  of  amazing 
character,  yet,  nevertheless,  the  truth  must  be  told, 
and  that  quickly." 


312  abe  Bse  of  Istar. 

"  Then  utter  it,  and  be  gone,"  Istar  said,  glancing 
at  him  sharply. 

"  Know  then,  O  Queen  of  Earth  and  Heaven,  O  Peer- 
less among  Women,  the  dreaded  day  hath  dawned  ! 
The  Great  Destroyer  is  in  our  midst !  " 

Istar,  pale  and  startled,  sprang  to  her  feet,  clutching 
her  jewel-laden  breasts  frantically,  as  if  to  stay  the 
beating  of  her  heart. 

"  The  Devourer ! "  she  gasped,  white  to  the  lips. 
"  Speak  !  I  command  thee  !  Speak  quickly,  son  of 
Nabu-ahe-iddina,  or  thou  shalt  be  cast  for  ever  into  the 
realm  of  Niffer,  lord  of  the  Ghost  Land." 

"I  speak,  O  Mighty  One,"  he  answered.  "Would 
that  my  tongue  had  been  torn  from  its  roots,  and  my 
lips  sealed  by  the  seal  of  the  Death-god,  ere  it  should 
have  been  my  duty  to  make  this  my  announcement. 
The  Devourer  from  the  outer  world  hath  been  discov- 
ered wandering  upon  the  mountains.  How  he  gained 
this  land,  which  is  without  entrance  and  without  exit, 
no  man  knoweth.  The  wise  men  believe  that  he  came 
hither  like  a  fowl  of  the  air." 

Istar,  trembling,  clutched  the  glittering  arm  of  her 
crystal  throne  for  support,  while  a  dark,  sinister  expres- 
sion settled  upon  her  flawless  countenance.  The  crowd 
about  me,  awestricken  and  hushed  in  expectation, 
awaited  her  words  breathlessly. 

"  Lo  ! "  cried  the  high  priest  of  the  Temple  of  the 
Seven  Lights,  suddenly  stepping  back  and  dragging  me 
roughly  forward,  "  Lo  !  O  Beauteous  Queen  of  all  the 
Gods,  he  is  here,  in  thine  holy  presence  ! " 

I  lifted  my  face.     Our  eager  eyes  met. 

Her  tiny  hands  were  so  tightly  clenched  that  the 
nails  were  driven  into  her  palms,  her  breasts  heaved 
and  fell  quickly,  her  brows  knit  in  a  fierce  anger,  but  in 
her  eyes  was  a  look  of  unutterable  dread. 


"'O    QUEEN    OK    EARTH    AND    HEAVEN'!      O    PEERLESS    AMONG   WOMEN! 
THE   DREADED    DAY   HATH   DAWNED!'" — Page  312. 


Ustar.  313 

For  a  moment  she  covered  her  face  with  her  hands, 
as  if  to  shut  me  out  of  her  gaze,  but  next  instant  she 
raised  her  narrow  eyebrows,  her  blanched  lips  parted, 
and  she  turned  upon  the  high-priest  in  a  sudden  out- 
burst of  fury.  Extending  her  bare  arm  towards  him 
she  cursed  him. 

"  Knowest  thou  not  the  writing  upon  my  foundation- 
stones,  offspring  of  Anu,  defiler  of  the  holy  Ziggur- 
ratu  ?  "  she  screamed  in  rage. 

The  aged  high-priest  uttered  a  cry,  as  if  he  had  been 
struck  a  blow.  But  he  answered  not. 

"  Knowest  thou  the  words  graven  upon  the  great 
image  ?  Speak,  accursed  one.  Speak  !  " 

"  I  do,  O  Queen,"  he  faltered. 

"Then,  malediction  upon  thee.  Vengeance  and 
hate,  sorrow  and  torture  of  the  flesh.  May  the  Air- 
god  rend  thee  ;  may  Shamas,  the  lord  of  Light,  hide 
his  face  from  thee  for  ever  ;  and  may  Niffer,  lord  of  the 
Ghost  Land,  take  thee  for  his  slave  !  May  Ninkigat, 
the  lady  of  the  great  Land  of  Terrors,  strangle  thee, 
and  may  the  other — whom  I  dare  not  name — fill  thy 
vitals  with  molten  metal  and  consume  thee  !  " 

"  Mercy  !  "  cried  the  wretched  man,  falling  upon  his 
knees,  and  grovelling  upon  the  polished  pavement. 
"  Mercy,  O  Istar,  Queen  of  Ea,  and  ruler  of  all  crea- 
tures !  Have  mercy  upon  thy  servant  !  " 

"  Nay,  unto  me  thou  hast  shown  no  mercy,  accursed 
spawn  of  a  scorpion  ;  thou  shalt  receive  none,"  she 
answered.  Then,  lifting  her  hand  towards  the  file  of 
soldiers  that  lined  the  walls,  she  commanded, — 

"Abla,  Nabu-nur-ili,  Akabi-ilu,  forward  quickly,  ye 
guards  of  our  majesty.  Take  this  son  of  Nergal  forth 
to  the  top  of  the  steps  and  cast  him  down  with  force 
like  a  dog,  so  that  his  bones  be  broken  and  his  body 
mutilated.  Then,  with  his  blood,  let  the  words  graven 


3'4  Gbe  BBS  of  flstar. 

upon  the  image  be  re-written  on  the  lintel  of  the  Tem- 
ple of  the  Seven  Lights,  so  that  all  may  remember. 
Away  with  him.  Let  his  body  be  cast  into  the  lion- 
pit,"  she  added,  with  a  majestic  sweep  of  her  white  arm. 
"  I  have  spoken." 

"  Have  compassion,  O  Istar  !  At  least,  let  me  live  !  " 
cried  the  aged  priest ;  but  ere  he  could  utter  the  last 
sentence  the  soldiers  had  dragged  him  forth,  with  the 
dreaded  Queen's  imprecation  resounding  in  his  ears  in 
multiplied  echoes. 

In  the  full  fury  of  her  ungovernable  rage  this  beauti- 
ful goddess  of  the  Mysterious  Land,  at  first  so  graceful 
and  languorous,  looked  magnificent.  With  her  unbound 
hair  falling  about  her  shoulders  and  reaching  below 
her  girdle,  she  raised  her  arms  in  mad  rage,  pouring 
forth  a  string  of  curses  so  terrible  that  those  surround- 
ing her  visibly  shuddered. 

"And  thou  !  "  she  cried,  suddenly  turning  and  gaz- 
ing intently  upon  me  with  eyes  sharp  as  arrows.  "  So 
thou  art  the  stranger  !  " 

The  people  around  me  were  full  of  passionate  anger 
and-  abject  terror.  Behind,  before  me,  everywhere,  I 
saw  only  glaring  eyes,  strained  wide  open  as  if  to 
devour  me,  defiant  faces,  eager  hands  fingering  sword- 
hilts,  and  heard  the  gnashing  of  teeth  between  threat- 
ening lips. 

"  So  thou  hast  dared  to  accompany  that  viper  Rab- 
bani,  and  enter  my  presence  ! "  she  cried,  in  a  second 
outburst  of  indignation.  Her  strange  terror  had  been 
succeeded  by  rage  and  defiance  terrible  to  behold.  The 
veins  in  her  brow  stood  out  like  blue  cords  as  she 
spoke,  and  her  soft,  perfumed  cheeks  were  suffused  by 
anger. 

"  I  was  brought  before  thee  by  thy  people,  O  Queen," 
I  answered,  endeavoring  to  appease  her.  "  I  knew 


flstar.  315 

not  thine  high-priest,  ere  I  entered  thine  House  of 
Lustre." 

"  I  have  spoken  ;  and  he  shall  die,"  she  snapped,  ap- 
parently thinking  I  was  making  an  appeal  on  the  aged 
man's  behalf.  "  Ascend  to  me,  so  that  I  may  see  thee 
more  closely." 

Thus  commanded,  I  crossed  the  inlaid  pavement  and 
ascended  the  broad,  silver  steps  leading  to  the  great 
throne  of  crystal,  before  which  she  now  stood  upon  her 
prostrate  women,  erect  and  queenly.  Gaining  the 
pavement  of  gold  whereon  the  throne  was  set,  I  was 
drawing  nearer,  when  two  great  eunuchs  sprang  for- 
ward, motioning  me  not  to  approach  her  further. 

"Arrest  thy  steps,"  they  cried,  frantically.  "The 
person  of  Istar,  our  ruler,  is  sacred.  None  but  dwell- 
ers within  this,  her  temple,  may  look  upon  her." 

"  Retire,"  she  cried  to  the  eunuchs.  "  I  commanded 
him  to  approach  me." 

The  men  slunk  back  to  their  places  in  chagrin,  and 
as  they  did  so  I  advanced  yet  another  couple  of  paces, 
and  dropped  upon  one  knee  before  her.  Her  beauty 
was  amazing.  The  sweet  perfumes  that  exuded  from 
her  ample  draperies  filled  my  nostrils. 

"  Whence  comest  thou  ?  "  she  asked  me  in  calm,  seri- 
ous voice,  gazing  upon  me  with  her  huge,  wonderful 
eyes. 

"  From  the  world  that  lieth  beyond  the  impregnable 
limits  of  thy  kingdom,  O  Queen,"  I  answered. 

""Who  art  thou,  that  thou  shouldst  speak  our  sacred 
tongue  ? "  she  inquired  quickly,  in  surprise. 

"I  am  but  a  wanderer,"  I  replied.  "The  language 
of  ancient  Assyria  hath  been  recovered  by  our  wise 
men  from  the  monuments  of  Nimroud  and  of  Babylon." 

Her  surprise  found  echo  in  the  murmurings  of  the 
eager,  excited  crowd  ;  but  a  moment  later  she  asked, — 


of  flstar. 

"  How  earnest  thou  hither  ? " 

"  By  an  entrance  which  I  followed.  It  led  me  through 
the  Valley  of  Mists,  until  I  came  hither  unto  this  thy 
city." 

"  An  entrance  !  "  she  cried,  in  alarm.  "  Then  thou 
earnest  not  as  a  bird  of  the  air  !  " 

I  replied  in  the  negative,  an4  was  about  to  explain 
the  extraordinary  manner  by  which  I  had  gained  access 
to  the  mysterious  Land  of  the  No  Return,  when  she 
turned  upon  me  with  clenched  hands,  in  a  paroxysm 
of  rage  so  sudden  that  I  was  startled. 

"  Then  thou  art  actually  a  pagan  from  the  unknown 
land  beyond,"  she  cried,  trembling  with  anger.  "  Be 
thou  accursed  !  accursed  !  accursed  !  May  the  celestial 
triad  cut  thee  off,  and  may  Rimmon  tear  and  devour 
thee  !  " 

A  murmur  of  approbation  went  round  those  assem- 
bled, and  at  the  mention  of  the  dreaded  god  all  bowed, 
while  the  priests  in  their  horned  caps  raised  their  arms 
and  lifted  their  deep  voices  in  adulation. 

Speechless,  I  stood  before  her  while  she  poured  out 
upon  me  the  vials  of  her  uncurbed  wrath.  I  trembled, 
fearing  lest  she  should  condemn  me  to  a  similar  doom 
to  which  the  aged  high-priest  had  been  hurried  for 
what  appeared  to  be  a  petty  offence.  In  her  anger 
she  stamped  her  tiny  foot  upon  the  neck  of  one  of  the 
prostrate  women,  causing  her  to  writhe.  But  the  half- 
nude  pair  acting  as  her  footstool  uttered  no  cry.  They 
were  worshipping  the  goddess  and  sacrificing  them- 
selves to  her. 

"  Thou  accursed  son  of  the  Unknown !  "  she  cried, 
addressing  me.  "  Thou  hast  dared  to  enter  this  my 
forbidden  land,  therefore  thou  art  my  captive,  my 
slave,  my  servant !  "  She  had  folded  her  arms  with  an 
air  so  terrible  that  I  was  immediately  as  one  rooted  to 
the  golden  pavement. 


fstar.  317 

"  Kill  him,  O  Istar  !  "  the  people  cried.  "  Suffer  not 
his  baneful  presence  to  contaminate  us  !  Suffer  not 
his  unclean  hand  to  touch  the  hem  of  thy  sacred  robe  ! 
Kill  him  !  Let  us  witness  the  lions  tearing  him  ! " 

At  the  raising  of  her  white,  bejewelled  hand  there 
was  complete  silence.  She  looked  at  me,  crushing  me 
with  her  haughty  beauty. 

"  He  came  hither,"  she  said,  addressing  her  courtiers 
and  slaves,  "  in  order  to  feast  his  eyes  upon  what  is 
forbidden,  to  discover  that  which  for  a  hundred  genera- 
tions hath  been  hidden  from  the  pagans  of  the  other 
world.  He  therefore  shall,  ere  his  soul  is  given  unto 
Rimmon,  witness  that  which  he  desireth.  He  is  my 
captive.  My  name  shall  gnaw  him  like  remorse.  I  will 
be  to  him  more  execrable  than  the  pest,  and  he  shall 
feel  every  moment,  until  the  day  he  is  cast  into  the  lion- 
pit,  the  chastisement  of  a  goddess." 

Ghastly,  and  with  hands  clenched,  I  quivered  like  a 
stringed  instrument  when  the  over-tense  strings  are 
about  to  snap.  Words  choked  me,  and  I  bowed  my 
head  before  her. 

"  My  slave  thou  art,"  she  cried,  turning  suddenly 
upon  me.  "  Thou  shalt  ever  grovel  in  the  dust  before 
me  ;  thou  shalt  take  the  place  of  those  women  who 
have  prostrated  themselves  before  me,  and  are  from 
this  time  forth  absolved.  In  future  thou  shalt  be  as 
my  footstool.  Neither  by  night  nor  day  shalt  thou 
leave  my  presence.  In  my  waking  hours  my  heel  shall 
be  upon  thy  neck  ;"  in  my  hours  of  slumber  thou  shalt 
still  be  wakeful.  Withersoever  I  go  there  also  shalt 
thou  go,  placing  thyself  as  rest  for  my  feet,  and  thus  be 
ever  in  my  sight.  If  thou  attemptest  to  fly,  I  will  draw 
the  bears  from  the  mountains,  and  the  lions  shall  hunt 
thee,  even  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth." 

Stepping   from   the   women,  upon  whose   quivering 


3i8  Gbe  Bge  of  Ustar. 

bodies  she  had  been  standing,  she  commanded  them  to 
rise,  and  at  signal  from  her  the  eunuchs  tore  from  my 
shoulders  the  robe  in  which  I  had  been  attired.  Then, 
although  struggling  vainly  in  their  iron  grip,  I  was  cast, 
face  downwards,  upon  the  pavement  before  the  throne, 
and  a  moment  later  the  mysterious  Queen  of  Ea  stood 
with  her  feet  upon  my  back.  Her  weight  crushed  my 
breast,  causing  my  breathing  to  become  difficult  ;  but, 
applauded  by  her  subjects,  she  remained  in  that  posi- 
tion addressing  them,  cursing  me  for  daring  to  enter 
her  kingdom,  and  assuring  them  that  ere  long  they 
should  be  entertained  by  my  death  beneath  the  claws 
of  the  lions. 

"  I  heed  not  the  graven  lines  upon  the  foundation- 
stone,"  she  exclaimed,  in  conclusion.  "Three  hundred 
thousand  soldiers  are  ready  day  and  night  to  do  my 
bidding,  and  if  men  fail  me,  I  will  call  down  the  wrath 
of  the  gods  most  terrible.  I  will  overthrow  this  my 
city  and  burn  its  temples.  Not  a  single  tower,  nor 
tree,  nor  wall  shall  remain,  and  the  galleys  shall  float 
on  streams  of  blood.  I  fear  not  this  slave  beneath  my 
heel.  I  would  kill  him  now,  with  this  my  poniard  ; 
but  ere  he  dies  he  shall  feel  the  chastisement  of  Istar. 
I  am  thy  ruler,  and  his  punishment  is  in  my  hands." 

"  Wisely  hast  thou  spoken,  O  Goddess,  whom  we 
worship  with  one  accord,  and  to  whom  we  sacrifice 
those  of  thy  sex.  Thou  art  indeed  our  just  ruler,  at 
whose  word  mountains  tremble  and  rivers  stand  still. 
Thine  armed  men  shall  ever  be  faithful  unto  thee,  and 
beneath  thine  heel  we  leave  the  wanderer  from  the 
Unknown." 

"  Then  go  ;  let  the  veil  fall,"  she  answered.  "  In 
my  temple,  before  the  graven  lines  upon  my  foundation- 
stone,  let  full  thanksgiving  be  offered  at  moonset  for 
our  discovery  of  this  wanderer,  who  is  safe  in  our  hands, 


fforetofcens,  319 

and  thus  prevented  from  escaping  back  unto  his  own 
execrable,  accursed  race." 

"  We  obey  thee,  O  mighty  Istar  !  "  rose  from  the 
throats  of  the  assembled  multitude  as,  with  one  accord, 
they  moved  back  towards  the  ante-chamber,  still  keep- 
ing their  faces  towards  the  beautiful  woman  they  wor- 
shipped. Confusion  spread  for  a  few  minutes,  but  at 
last  all  retired,  save  those  grouped  around  the  throne, 
and  the  great  yellow  curtain  fell,  leaving  the  brilliant 
Queen  in  ease  and  semi-privacy. 

Wearied,  she  threw  herself  upon  her  great  crystal 
lounge,  lying  gracefully  back,  with  the  toes  of  one 
bare  foot  just  touching  me,  while  her  women  crowded 
about  and  attended  her  at  her  elaborate  toilet. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

FORETOKENS. 

ISTAR'S  white-robed  women  brushed  out  her  hair, 
which  fell  about  her  like  a  cascade  of  rippling  gold, 
bathed  her  face  in  a  golden  bowl  filled  with  perfume, 
and  gently  washed  her  white  hands.  Then,  when  her 
toilet  was  complete,  they  retired  at  a  sign,  leaving  me 
alone  with  her. 

When  all  was  silent  she  lifted  her  tiny  foot  from  my 
neck  and  commanded  me  to  rise. 

"Tell  me,  whence  comest  thou  ?"  she  inquired,  in  a 
hard  rasping  voice,  when  I  stood  before  her. 

Our  eyes  met.  Hers  were  of  that  unusual  tint — 
almost  violet.  They  held  me  in  fascination. 

"  I  came  from  the  desert  land  two  moon's  march  be- 
yond thine,"  I  answered,  noticing,  at  the  same  moment, 


320  tTbe  Ege  or  Ustar, 

that  her  shapely  hands  trembled.  "  I  entered  thy  do- 
minion by  the  gate  known  to  us  as  the  Rock  of  the 
Great  Sin,  the  secret  way  that  no  man  hath  before  pen- 
etrated." 

"Thou  hast  discovered  it  !"  she  gasped  excitedly, 
half  rising  from  her  crystal  seat  of  royalty,  gleaming 
with  its  thousand  iridescent  fires.  "Tell  me,  in  which 
direction  doth  it  lie  ?  " 

"  Far  north,  beyond  the  Mountains  of  the  Mist,  be- 
yond the  ruins  of  the  wondrous  temple  thine  ancestor 
raised  to  Sin,  the  Moon-god." 

"  But  tell  me  the  exact  position  of  the  rock  of  the 
great  god  Sin,"  she  demanded,  eagerly.  "  It  is  a  spot 
which  existeth  in  the  sayings  of  the  priests,  but  it  hath 
been  lost  to  all  men  in  the  mazes  of  legendary  lore." 

"Its  exact  position  I  cannot  accurately  describe,"  I 
answered.  "  Since  passing  through  it  and  deciphering 
the  rock-tablet  of  Semiramis,  I  have  travelled  many 
days  in  forest  and  over  plain  and  mountain." 

"  Couldst  thou  not  guide  me  thither?"  she  asked, 
eagerly. 

"  I  fear  I  could  not,  O  Queen,"  I  answered. 

"Thou  art,  indeed,  the  Destroyer  ;  the  man  who  is 
my  bitterest  enemy,"  she  observed,  in  a  deeply  reflect- 
ive tone. 

"  How  ?  "  I  inquired.  "  Surely  I  have  done  thee  no 
wrong  !  " 

"  Since  the  day  of  Semiramis,  the  founder  of  Babylon 
and  of  Ea,  it  hath  been  told  to  each  generation  by  our 
sages  that  a  dark-faced  stranger  from  the  north  shall 
one  day  enter  our  impregnable  kingdom  and  approach 
its  ruler,"  she  said,  hoarsely.  "  His  entry  shall  be  the 
curse  that  Anu,  god  of  Destruction,  hath  placed  upon 
our  land,  and  this  our  city,  with  walls  unbreakable, 
shall  be  overthrown  and  crumble  into  dust.  When 


fforetofcens.  321 

Semiramis  founded  this  our  land  of  Ea,  she  made  not 
sufficient  sacrifice  unto  Anu,  therefore  the  dread  god 
overthrew  her  colossal  Temple  of  the  Sun,  and  laid  a 
curse  upon  the  city,  saying  that  he  would  one  day 
direct  hereto  the  steps  of  a  man  from  the  world  beyond, 
and  that  this  man  should  be  the  Destroyer.  Thou  art 
the  one  sent  by  Anu." 

She  had  fixed  her  brilliant  eyes  upon  me,  holding  me 
transfixed.  There  was  in  her  face  a  strange  look  of 
combined  terror  and  hatred. 

"Well,"  I  said,  after  a  pause,  "believest  thou  that  I 
am  the  prophesied  doer  of  evil  ?" 

"Assuredly  thou  art,"  she  answered.  "All  is  evil 
in  thine  accursed  world  beyond." 

"  And  thou,  the  goddess  Istar,  believest  that  I  am 
capable  of  working  evil  against  this  thy  giant  city  !  " 
I  observed,  smiling.  "  Thou  fearest  that  I  am  pos- 
sessed of  the  evil-eye." 

"  Thy  coming  fulfilleth  the  prophecies  of  our  priests 
through  ages,"  she  answered,  in  a  low,  harsh  tone. 
"  Thou  art  mine  enemy.  I,  my  people  and  my  land 
are  doomed." 

"  This,  then,  was  the  reason  that  I  was  cast  into  the 
lion-pit,"  I  observed. 

She  nodded  in  acquiescence,  adding,  "  It  was  pro- 
posed that  thou  shouldst  be  devoured  by  the  wild 
beasts  as  recompense  for  thine  intrepidity  ;  but  I  res- 
cued thee  because — because,  I  wished  to  hear  thy  story 
from  thine  own  lips." 

"Already  have  I  told  thee  all,"  I  answered.  "This 
thy  land  is  known  to  the  world  beyond  only  by  vague 
legends  and  the  unwritten  romances  of  story-tellers. 
When  I  return,  I  will  tell  my  fellows  of  the  wonders  I 
have  witnessed  within  thy  brilliant  kingdom." 

"  No,"  she  answered,  rising  with  true  regal  dignity, 


322  Gbe  Bge  of  f  star. 

yet  trembling  with  anger.  "  Thou  shalt  never  go  back, 
for  to  thee,  as  to  all  men,  this  is  the  Land  of  the  No 
Return.  To  kill  thee  will  only  hasten  disaster  upon 
myself,  therefore,  thou  shalt  remain  my  slave,  and  lest 
thou  shouldst  attempt  to  escape,  thou  shalt  never  leave 
my  side,  either  by  day  or  by  night.  I  hold  thee  in 
servitude  irrevocably.  When  the  Day  ef  Destruction, 
foretold  by  the  prophets,  cometh,  then  shall  thine 
heart  be  torn  out  whilst  thou  art  still  alive,  and  given 
to  Ninep,  my  tame  lioness,  to  devour  at  a  mouthful." 

I  bowed,  smiling  bitterly  ;  but  no  retort  escaped 
my  lips.  Her  strange,  weird  manner  held  me  spell- 
bound. 

"At  least  it  shall  be  known,"  she  cried,  angrily, 
"that  I  hold  in  bondage,  as  my  personal  slave,  the 
man  who  hath  entered  our  land  to  bring  evil  upon  us. 
Attempt  not  to  escape,  or  assuredly  will  I  slay  thee 
with  mine  own  hand,"  and  she  drew  from  her  girdle  of 
emeralds  a  short,  keen  knife,  with  hilt  fashioned  like  a 
winged  bull,  which  she  kept  therein  concealed. 

"  Thou  appearest  to  consider  me  as  harbinger  of  ill," 
I  answered,  with  knit  brows.  "  I  have  no  design  upon 
thee  or  thine.  Love  of  adventure  and  a  secret  quest 
have  led  me  hither." 

"  A  secret  quest  !  "  she  cried.     "  What  was  it  ?  " 

"  I  had  heard  stories  of  wonders  within  thy  land,  and 
sought  its  whereabouts,"  I  said,  ambiguously. 

"  Then,  thou  didst  discover  the  secret  entrance  ;  the 
mystery  that  hath  remained  hidden  through  an  hun- 
dred ages?" 

"  I  did,  O  Istar,"  I  replied.  "Long  I  toiled  in  the 
darkness  beneath  the  foundations  of  the  rock  of  thy 
Moon-god,  and  emerged  into  thy  wo'ndrous  country, 
with  its  city  more  amazing  than  any  mine  eyes  have 
ever  beheld." 


fforetofeens.  323 

"  Art  thou  dazzled  ?  "  she  asked,  smiling  for  the  first 
time. 

"  Indeed  I  am,  O  Queen,"  I  replied.  "  The  magnifi- 
cence of  thy  city,  the  splendor  of  this  thy  palace,  and 
the  beauty  of  thy  face  entranceth  me.  Of  a  verity 
thine  is  a  world  apart,  and  thou  art  goddess  and  queen 
in  one." 

She  fixed  her  clear,  wonderful  eyes  upon  me,  and 
her  breast,  covered  with  jewels,  slowly  heaved  and  fell. 
In  her  gaze  I  noticed,  for  the  first  time,  a  curious  ex- 
pression, and  her  manner  was  undisguisedly  coquet- 
tish. 

"  Then,  why  dost  thou  desire  to  leave  our  land  of 
Ea  ?  Why  not  remain  here  in  happiness  and  content- 
ment ? "  she  asked,  raising  her  pencilled  brows,  and 
toying  with  the  long,  gold  pendant  hanging  from  her 
ear. 

"  Because,"  I  answered,  frankly,  "  because  I  am 
pledged  to  a  woman  who  loveth  me." 

"  Who  loveth  thee  ! "  she  cried,  fiercely.  "  Who  is 
the  woman  ? " 

"  Azala,  daughter  of  the  Sultan  'Othman,  of  Sokoto," 
I  answered. 

She  was  silent  for  a  long  time.  Her  white,  well- 
formed  hands  twitched  nervously. 

"  Azala,"  she  repeated  slowly,  in  a  hollow  voice. 
"  And  thou  desirest  to  return  because  thou  lovest 
her  ? " 

I  nodded. 

"The  penalty  for  thine  intrepidity  is  death,"  she 
continued,  gravely.  "  For  the  present  I  spare  thee, 
but  thou  shalt  die  when  it  pleaseth  me.  I  am  Istar, 
the  ruler  who  holdeth  her  enemies  i-n  the  hollow  of  her 
hand." 

"  I  am  not  thine  enemy,"  I  protested. 


324  Cbe  jEge  of  flstar. 


"  Thou  art  !  "  she  cried,  with  flashing  eyes.  "  Thou, 
son  of  Anu,  art  the  Destroyer  whose  coming  hath  been 
foretold." 

"  I  am  prepared  to  serve  thee,  and  to  prove  to  thee 
that  I  have  entered  thy  land  without  evil  intent,"  I 
said. 

"  Be  it  so,"  she  answered,  drawing  herself  up  sud- 
denly. "  Thou  shalt  serve  me  as  slave,  and  attend  me 
everywhere  ;  but  while  I  have  breath  thou  shalt  never 
return  unto  thy  master  Anu,  the  god  of  Destruction, 
who  dwelleth  in  the  land  afar.*' 

Her  agitation  was  intense.  In  her  excitement  she 
stood  beside  her  great  crystal  throne,  grasping  with 
both  hands  one  of  the  human-headed  monstrosities 
which  served  as  arms,  while  her  pale  face  had  assumed 
a  haggard  look,  and  around  her  eyes  were  large,  dark 
rings.  This  woman  who,  as  Queen  of  the  ancient 
realm,  was  also  worshipped  by  every  man  and  woman 
as  Istar,  the  Goddess  of  Love,  possessed  an  extraordi- 
nary personality.  In  features,  in  manner,  in  her  lux- 
urious mode  of  life,  she  was  remarkable  ;  while,  as  I  had 
already  had  illustration,  she  was  cruel,  quick  tempered 
and  relentless,  overlooking  no  fault,  and  holding  her 
unique  position  as  some  supernatural  ruler  of  earth. 
The  legend  current  throughout  Ea,  prophesying  the 
appearance  of  a  visitant  and  the  downfall  of  the  city, 
was  extremely  unfavorable  to  me,  I  knew  ;  neverthe- 
less, I  recollected  my  pledge  to  Azala,  my  long  and  ad- 
venturous journey  thither,  and  now  that  I  was  actually 
at  last  in  Ea  I  was  more  than  ever  determined  to 
fathom  the  mystery  that  my  well-beloved  had  alleged 
would  be  revealed  unto  me.  The  strange  life  about 
me  held  me  entranced  with  wonder.  Everything  was 
upon  a  scale  so  colossal  and  extravagantly  luxurious 
that  I  gazed  about  lost  in  wonder.  The  dwelling-place 


fforetofcens.  325 

of  the  beautiful  woman  who  held  me  captive,  a  palace 
and  temple  combined,  was,  indeed,  a  magnificent  pile 
of  amazing  proportions  and  was  well  named  the  House 
of  the  Raising  of  the  Head,  for  it  was  full  of  marvels 
at  every  turn.  Istar's  firm  determination  that  I  should 
not  leave  her  side  was  certainly  disconcerting ;  never- 
theless the  Koran  telleth  us  that  by  patience  much 
can  be  accomplished  ;  therefore,  I  decided  to  stifle  the 
voice  of  protest,  endure  my  lot,  and  bow  to  the  woman 
who  had  held  me  humiliated  as  slave  in  sight  of  her 
brilliant  court. 

Again,  with  eyes  flashing,  she  heaped  fierce  curses 
upon  me,  declaring  that  my  life  should  be  made  a  bur- 
den ;  that  ere  a  moon  had  passed  I  should  long  for 
death  ;  and  that  my  face  should  never  again  be  bright- 
ened by  the  eyes  of  the  woman  I  loved.  In  the  midst 
of  a  string  of  epithets  bestowed  upon  me  with  a  terrible 
volubility,  two  heralds,  in  golden  breastplates  and 
white-plumed  helmets,  entered  the  chamber,  and  rais- 
ing their  great  brazen  horns  blew  three  loud  blasts, 
whereat  Istar,  the  words  of  reproach  dying  on  her  lips, 
sank  among  the  cushions  of  her  throne,  while,  almost 
at  the  same  instant,  the  great  silken  curtains  again 
parted,  revealing  the  assembled  multitude  of  soldiers, 
courtiers,  eunuchs  and  priests,  who  had  apparently  re- 
mained awaiting  their  Queen's  pleasure.  Erect,  I  stood 
beside  the  gleaming  throne  gazing  upon  the  brilliant 
court  of  this  curious  monarch,  while  Ninep,  the  tame 
lioness,  walked  slowly  past,  sniffing  inquiringly  at  her 
mistress,  then  stood  licking  her  soft,  bejewelled  hand, 
the  hand  that  she  declared  would  strike  me  dead  if  I 
attempted  to  return  to  the  world  outside.  Impetuos- 
ity was  one  of  her  many  peculiarities.  One  moment  so 
fierce  was  she  that  she  would  herself  assassinate  any 
who  hesitated  to  obey  her  wish  ;  the  next  she  would 


326  ^be  J&ve  ot  flstar. 

smile  good-humoredly,  as  though  she  knew  not  a  mo- 
ment of  anger,  and  malice  found  no  resting-place 
within  her  heart. 

Suddenly  she  raised  her  hand,  and  a  silence,  deep 
and  complete,  fell  upon  the  gorgeous,  perfumed  mul- 
titude. Ninep  yawned,  stretched  herself  at  her  mis- 
tress's feet,  and  placing  her  head  upon  her  paws,  blinked 
lazily  at  those  below  the  steps  of  polished  silver. 

"  Know,"  she  said  a  moment  later,  in  a  clear,  not 
unmusical  voice,  "  this  son  of  Anu  beside  me  is  indeed 
the  Destroyer  whom  our  fathers  have  expected  for 
ages,  and  whom  the  prophets  have  told  us  will  bring 
evil  upon  Ea." 

"  Let  him  be  given  as  food  to  the  lions  !  "  they 
shouted.  "  Kill  him,  O  Istar,  that  he  may  not  betray 
us  into  the  hands  of  those  who  seek  our  destruction  ! 
Anu  hath  set  his  seal  upon  Ea,  and  our  city  must  be 
overthrown,  but  let  the  spy  be  killed  so  that  he  may 
not  furnish  report  unto  those  who  sent  him  hither." 

"  He  shall  die,"  Istar  replied,  briefly. 

A  roar  of  approbation  instantly  broke  forth  ;  but 
next  instant,  again  raising  her  hand  to  command  quiet, 
the  queen-goddess  continued, — 

"  He  shall  die  when,  as  my  slave,  he  hath  served 
me." 

"  Let  him  die  now,  O  Istar  !  "  they  shouted.  "  Glad- 
den our  hearts  by  letting  us  see  the  lions  tear  him  limb 
from  limb.  He  is  the  Destroyer,  the  visitant  against 
whom  the  sages  have  warned  us.  Through  him  will 
the  vengeance  of  Anu,  the  dread  god,  descend  upon  us. 
Let  him  die  !  " 

"  No,"  she  answered,  both  hands  resting  upon  the 
crystal  arms  of  her  glittering  throne.  "  I  have  spoken. 
He  is  my  personal  slave,  bound  to  my  side  by  night 
and  by  day." 


fforetofcens.  327 

"  Dost  thou  not  fear  to  have  a  son  of  Anu  as  thy 
body-servant  ? "  asked  an  aged  priest,  with  flowing 
white  beard  and  high  head-dress  of  shining  gold,  sur- 
mounted by  a  star,  the  emblem  of  Istar.  "  He  may 
wreak  vengeance  upon  thee." 

"  I  am  Istar,  and  know  not  fear,"  she  answered, 
haughtily.  "  Men  bow  to  me,  and  women  make  sac- 
rifice in  my  temple.  For  those  who  incur  my  displeas- 
ure, Merodach,  the  protector  of  mankind,  will  not 
mediate." 

Then  the  queen-goddess  nodded  towards  a  man  of 
tall  stature,  attired  in  a  robe  of  dead  black.  Again 
the  trumpets  sounded  thrice,  as  signal  for  her  captains 
to  come  forward  and  present  their  reports.  They 
came,  one  by  one,  advancing  to  the  foot  of  the  steps, 
bowing  upon  one  knee,  and  obtaining  the  sanction  of 
their  sovereign  upon  various  matters. 

At  last,  when  about  twenty  had  been  received  and 
dismissed,  a  man  older  than  the  rest,  and  wearing  a 
breastplate  in  which  rubies  were  set  in  the  form  of  a 
great  star  within  a  circle,  advanced,  knelt  before  the 
bewitching  Queen,  and  mumbled  some  words  that  I 
could  not  catch. 

Istar  inclined  her  head  slightly  in  approbation. 
Then,  bidding  the  white-headed  warrior  to  rise,  said 
aloud, — 

"  Know,  Larsa,  this  stranger  that  is  within  our  gates 
hath  discovered  the  Rock  of  the  Moon-god,  and  en- 
tered into  our  presence  thereby.  The  curse  of  Anu, 
the  Progenitor,  who  changeth  not  the  decree  coming 
forth  from  his  mouth,  hath  fallen.  Go  with  thine  hosts 
far  beyond  the  Mountains  of  the  Mist  even  unto  the 
confines  of  Ea,  and  there  search  long  and  diligently,  so 
that  thou  mayest  discover  and  defend  the  secret  way. 
Let  not  the  feet  of  those  of  evil  defile  our  land,  for  as- 


328  Cbe  BEC  of  ITstar. 

suredly  the  sign  is  set  upon  us,  and  destruction  threat- 
eneth.  Thy  valiant  hosts  must  avert  it." 

"Thy  will  shall  be  done,  O  divine  patroness,"  the 
old  man  answered,  bowing  low  till  his  beard  almost 
swept  the  pavement.  "  I  will  haste  to  do  thy  bidding." 

"  May  Merodach  encompass  thee  with  his  shield  that 
none  can  penetrate,"  she  exclaimed,  as,  turning,  he 
went  forth  to  lead  his  soldiers  in  search  of  the  strange, 
natural  gate  by  which  I  had  entered. 

For  an  hour  the  queen-goddess  continued  to  receive 
those  who  craved  audience,  giving  advice,  hearing  pe- 
titions, and  dispensing  justice.  Then  her  brows  knit, 
she  grew  tired,  and  at  her  command  the  great  apart- 
ment was  cleared  of  all  except  the  twelve  slaves  whose 
duty  it  was  to  cool  her  with  their  huge  fans  of  flamin- 
goes' wings. 

"Thou  hast  not  told  me  thy  name,"  she  exclaimed, 
suddenly  turning  upon  me. 

"  Thy  servant  is  called  Zafar,"  I  answered. 

"  So  be  it,"  she  said,  glancing  at  me  quickly,  with 
sinister  look.  She  paused  a  moment,  then,  rising  lan- 
guidly from  her  seat,  slowly  descended  the  steps,  fol- 
lowed by  all  her  retinue,  including  myself. 

"  Depart  not  from  my  sight,"  she  commanded,  turn- 
ing towards  me.  "  Where  I  go,  there  shalt  thou  go 
also." 

Through  the  great  hall  she  led  the  way  into  a  smaller 
apartment,  hung  with  gorgeous  stuffs,  where,  in  an 
alcove  beyond,  was  a  great  couch  supported  by  four 
lions  in  silver,  with  curtains  of  purple  worked  with 
silver.  In  the  centre  of  the  chamber  was  an  upright 
conical  stone,  black,  with  many  lines  of  arrowheads 
engraved  thereon.  It  was,  I  afterwards  learned,  the 
symbol  of  Baal,  the  ruler  and  vivifier  of  nature. 

Her  women,  priestesses   of   Istar,  attired  in  loose 


Cbe  festival  of  Gammus.  329 

robes  of  pure  white,  with  their  unbound  hair  secured 
by  a  golden  fillet,  unloosed  her  heavy  girdle  of  emeralds 
which  confined  her  waist,  removed  her  little  slippers 
of  snake  skin,  and  again  bathed  her  face  with  some 
delicate  perfume.  Then  they  tenderly  laid  her  to  rest 
upon  the  couch,  and  while  four  men-at-arms,  with 
drawn  swords,  took  up  their  positions  as  guards,  two 
at  head  and  two  at  foot,  they  threw  themselves  down 
upon  the  lion-skins  spread  about.  Before  the  alcove, 
wherein  reclined  the  queen,  a  veil  of  silver  sheen  de- 
scended, for  already  her  wondrous  eyes  had  closed, 
and,  tired  out,  she  had  fallen  into  a  light  slumber. 

I,  her  slave,  sat  upon  the  floor,  hugging  my  knees, 
deep  in  thought,  and  waiting,  with  the  silent  guards, 
until  the  dawn.  Truly  my  position  was  a  remarkable 
one.  I  had  found  that  which  all  men  before  had 
failed  to  discover.  I  was  actually  living  in  a  world 
unknown. 


CHAPTER  XL. 

THE    FESTIVAL    OF    TAMMUZ. 

BUT  one  desire  possessed  me — to  return  to  Azala. 

In  the  many  days  which  followed  the  first  night  of 
my  captivity  I  witnessed  innumerable  marvels.  The 
pageantry  in  the  palace,  known  to  all  as  E  Sagilla, 
"  The  House  of  the  Raising  of  the  Head,"  was  of 
amazing  brilliance  ;  and  in  the  great  city,  sixty  Eng- 
lish miles  in  circumference,  and  built  with  extreme 
regularity,  with  broad,  straight  streets  crossing  one 
another  at  right  angles,  the  sights  which  met  my  gaze 
filled  me  with  astonishment.  Though  the  dwellers  in 


33°  £be  BBC  of  fstar. 

that  long-forgotten  kingdom  possessed  many  inven- 
tions similar  to  those  I  had  witnessed  in  London,  yet 
their  religion,  manners  and  customs  were  the  same  as 
those  which  existed  four  thousand  years  ago,  when  the 
all-powerful  Semiramis  caused  her  record  to  be  en- 
graved in  the  foundations  of  the  rock  she  consecrated 
to  her  supposed  father,  the  Moon-god,  Sin,  "  the  lord  of 
the  waxing  and  the  waning."  The  buildings  were  on 
colossal  scale,  with  towers  reaching  to  a  far  greater 
height  than  any  I  had  seen  in  European  cities,  and  the 
display  of  gold,  silver  and  gems,  mostly  brought  there 
ages  ago  by  the  notable  woman  who  founded  Babylon 
and  conquered  Ethiopia,  held  me  in  constant  wonder- 
ment. In  the  great  courts  of  the  temple-palace  I 
watched  the  sacrifice  of  rams  upon  the  triangular  fire- 
altars,  attended  by  long-bearded  priests  of  Gibil,  the 
Fire-god,  in  robes  whereon  were  embroidered  fir  cones, 
apt  emblems  of  fire  ;  and  everywhere  I  noticed  sym- 
bols of  the  celestial  deities,  while  power  was  typified 
indiscriminately  on  every  hand  by  colossal  figures  of 
winged,  human-headed,  and  sometimes  eagle-headed, 
lions  and  bulls. 

Through  one  whole  moon  I  had  been  slave  of  Istar, 
and  scarcely  left  her  side  for  a  single  instant  by  night 
or  day,  hourly  witnessing  sights  that  were  amazing, 
and  occupying  my  leisure  in  deciphering  the  profuse 
cuneiform  inscriptions  graven  on  almost  every  wall  or 
door-lintel  by  hands  that  ages  ago  had  crumbled  to 
dust.  From  them  I  learned  much  regarding  the  history 
of  that  wondrous  kingdom  ;  how,  before  the  death  of 
Semiramis,  she  was  worshipped  as  Istar,  Goddess  of 
Love.  In  some  inscriptions  I  found  her  referred  to  as 
"  Queen  of  the  Crescent-moon,"  "  Queen  of  the  Stars," 
and  "  Queen  of  Heaven  "  ;  in  others  as  "  Queen  of 
War  and  Battle,"  "  Archeress  of  the  Gods,"  and  "  Queen 


ttbe  festival  of  ttammus.  331 

of  all  the  Gods  "  ;  but  it  was  distinctly  stated  in  sev- 
eral of  the  colossal  wall-pictures  that,  before  she  died, 
she  decreed  that  her  daughter  should  be  ruler  of  Ea, 
and  that  all  should  worship  her  as  Istar.  Each  Queen 
should  remain  unmarried  until  the  age  of  forty,  and 
should  be  worshipped  as  Goddess  of  Love,  and  each 
King  should  be  known  as  Hea,  and  should  place  his 
daughter  upon  the  throne  in  preference  to  his  son. 
Through  four  thousand  years  this  wonderful  kingdom 
had  existed  in  all  its  magnificence,  in  defiance  to  Anu, 
the  god  of  Destruction,  and  during  that  period  the 
dignity  of  queen-goddess  had  been  handed  down  from 
generation  to  generation,  its  bearer  dwelling  within 
that  great  temple  raised  by  the  autocratic  Empress 
who  founded  Babylon.  Those  giant  walls,  with  their 
sculptured  feasts  and  victories,  had  remained  intact, 
black  and  polished  like  iron,  colossal  monuments  of 
Assyria's  greatness,  and  as  in  the  silence  of  night, 
when  I  watched  while  Istar  slept,  I  gazed  upon  them 
and  reflected,  wondering  whether  Allah  would  ever 
allow  me  to  escape  to  tell  the  world  of  my  amazing 
discovery  of  this  mysterious,  unknown  realm. 

Many  were  the  feasts  held  within  that  colossal  palace, 
but  chief  among  them  was  the  Festival  of  Tammuz, 
"  The  only-begotten  son  of  Dav-Kina,  the  lady  of  the 
earth."  This,  held  about  one  moon  after  my  captivity, 
was  upon  a  scale  of  unsurpassed  magnificence,  the  feast- 
ing, drinking  and  merry-making  continuing  throughout 
seven  days  and  nights.  The  court  of  the  garden  of  the 
palace  wherein  Istar  feasted  the  people  of  Ea  was 
fitted  up  with  white,  green  and  blue  hangings,  fastened 
with  cords  of  fine  linen  and  purple  to  silver  rings  and 
pillars  of  marble  ;  the  couches  of  the  female  guests  were 
of  gold  and  silver  upon  the  pavement  of  red,  blue,  white 
and  black  marble.  Men  sat  in  high  chairs  of  ivory,  and 


332  Gbe  Ege  of  1F0tat. 

drank  wine  from  golden  vessels,  slaves  served  them  with 
various  fruits  and  viands,  and  each  hour  the  guests^were 
entertained  with  music  and  dancing.  Of  musical  instru- 
ments there  were  but  two  kinds — a  drum,  and  a  sort  of 
triangular  lyre  with  ten  strings,  held  in  the  left  hand, 
and  struck  with  a  plectrum  held  in  the  right.  Exalted 
upon  her  dais,  in  the  centre  of  the  beautiful  garden, 
sat  Istar,  with  queenly  hauteur  gazing  down  upon  the 
animated  scene.  Every  house  throughout  the  city  was 
illuminated,  for  the  Festival  of  Tammuz  was  celebrated 
by  all,  and  many  were  the  magnificent  banquets  given 
by  high  officers  and  notabilities.  Twice  Istar  drove 
through  the  streets  in  her  gilded  chariot,  drawn  by 
eight  milk-white  stallions,  I,  her  slave,  sitting  at  her 
side.  She  did  this,  no  doubt,  to  publicly  demonstrate 
to  the  populace  the  fact  that  she  held  me  captive, 
for  as  we  passed  along  the  straight,  broad  thorough- 
fares she  was  greeted  by  the  wild  plaudits  of  the  multi- 
tude, while  upon  my  head  curses  most  terrible  were 
showered. 

When  on  the  last  night  of  the  great  festival  the 
music  had  been  silenced,  the  guests  had  left  their 
couches,  the  dancing-girls  had  retired,  and  we  were 
alone  together  in  the  silent,  moonlit  garden,  she  sighed 
deeply,  glanced  at  me  for  an  instant,  and  rose.  Her 
heavy  anklets  of  gold  clinked  as  she  descended  the 
silver  steps  of  her  throne,  and,  as  mutely  I  followed,  I 
saw  that  high  above  us  still  shone  the  single  shaft  of 
intense  white  light  from  the  summit  of  the  towering 
Temple  of  the  Seven  Lights.  It  was,  I  had  learned 
from  one  of  the  priests,  known  as  The  Eye  of  Istar,  a 
light  that  had  shone  forth,  night  and  day  without  ceas- 
ing, ever  since  Semiramis  herself  made  the  first  sacri- 
fice in  that  high  temple  tower  of  seven  colored  stories, 
consecrated  to  the  Goddess  of  Love.  On  the  summit 


ffe0tival  of  aammus.  333 

of  that  tower  every  woman  was  bound  by  the  law  of 
Babylon's  founder  to  make  sacrifice  to  Istar,  and  it  was 
the  duty  of  the  white-robed  vestal  virgins  to  keep  the 
light  burning  incessantly,  to  remind  the  people  that 
Istar  watched  over  them  and  was  their  ruler.  Ofttimes 
I  had  been  seized  with  curiosity  to  ascend  that  tower 
where  all  women,  rich  and  poor  alike,  were  compelled 
to  prostrate  themselves  at  least  once  in  their  lives,  and 
it  was  with  satisfaction  that  I  now  saw  my  royal  mis- 
tress slowly  approach  the  entrance  to  the  temple-tower. 
As  we  crossed  the  great  court  the  huge  crowd  that  had 
assembled  bowed  in  silence.  At  the  portals  twelve 
fair-haired  girls,  in  robes  of  pure  white,  greeted  her 
with  great  ceremony ;  then,  headed  by  a  wizened  old 
priest,  with  snowy  beard  and  horned  cap  of  gold,  sur- 
mounted by  a  star,  we  commenced  to  climb  the  wide 
flight  of  winding  marble  stairs.  The  ascent  was  long 
and  toilsome.  At  each  stage  we  halted,  and  a  prayer 
was  recited  to  the  god  to  whom  it  was  dedicated,  un- 
til at  length  we  reached  the  great  domed  pavilion  that 
formed  its  summit. 

From  above,  the  unquenchable  light  shone  down 
upon  the  gigantic  city,  while  the  roof  of  pale  blue, 
decorated  with  golden  stars,  was  supported  by  twisted 
columns  of  gilded  marble.  Ibises,  the  sacred  birds  of 
love,  flitted  in  and  out  at  will,  and  in  the  centre,  raised 
upon  a  silver  pedestal  from  the  pearl  and  ebony  mosaic 
pavement,  stood  an  undraped  statue  of  Istar  herself. 
Its  sight  entranced  me,  for  in  her  right  hand  she  was 
represented  as  holding  two  asps  entwined,  the  same 
symbol  as  that  branded  upon  my  breast ! 

Around  the  image  of  the  Goddess  of  Love,  a  crowd 
of  young  women  and  girls  from  the  city  were  kneeling. 
Some  had  their  lips  pressed  to  its  feet  ;  others  were 
lounging  upon  skins  gazing  away  out  upon  the  brightly- 


334  £be  Bge  ot  Ustar. 

lit  city.  The  scene  was  indeed  a  striking  one.  The 
bright  moon  shed  her  light  full  upon  the  statue,  caus- 
ing it  to  stand  out  in  bold  relief,  while  the  golden 
braziers,  here  and  there,  burned  perfumes  which  filled 
the  air  with  a  delicious,  intoxicating  fragrance.  When 
we  entered  all  was  silence,  but  the  instant  it  became 
known  that  Istar  herself  was  present,  with  one  accord 
the  worshippers  rose,  struggling  with  one  another  to 
kiss  the  hem  of  her  gold-embroidered  robe. 

Once  each  year,  at  the  conclusion  of  the  Festival  of 
Tammuz,  Istar  herself  ascended  to  pass  the  night 
within  the  temple,  and  pose  in  the  flesh  as  the  Goddess 
of  Love.  Hence,  on  that  night,  great  crowds  assembled 
to  see  her  enter  the  tower,  and  the  unmarried  women 
of  Ea,  who  had  not  before  made  sacrifice,  congregated 
at  the  summit.  The  scene  was  strangely  impressive. 
Surrounded  by  her  white-robed  priestesses,  she  stood 
before  the  image  in  the  ekal,  or  main  nave,  and  raised 
her  bare  white  arms  to  heaven. 

When  all  her  votaries  had  kissed  her  robe,  and 
ranged  themselves  around  her,  a  dead  silence  fell. 
Suddenly,  in  clear,  musical  tones,  her  hands  still  raised 
above  her  head,  whereon  was  fixed  the  golden  star,  she 
commenced  to  chant  the  beautiful  hymn  to  the  Moon- 
god,  Sin,— 

"  Merciful  one,  begotten  of  the  universe,  who  foundeth 
his  illustrious  scat  among  living  creatures.  Long-suf- 
fering father,  full  of  forgiveness,  whose  hand  upholdeth 
the  lives  of  mankind.  Lord,  thy  divinity  is  as  the  wide 
heavens,  and  filleth  the  unknown  seas  with  its  fear. 
On  the  surface  of  the  peopled  world  he  biddeth  the 
sanctuary  be  placed — he  proclaimeth  their  name.  The 
father,  the  begotten  of  gods  and  men,  who  causeth  the 
shrine  to  be  founded,  who  established  the  offering,  who 
proclaimeth  dominion,  who  giveth  the  sceptre,  who 


THE   SCENE   WAS    INDEED   A    STRIKING   ONE.'" — Page  334. 


festival  of  Gammu3.  335 

shall  fix  destiny  unto  a  far  distant  day,  look  down  upon 
this  our  House  of  Lustre,  and  let  it.  never  be  cast 
down." 

Then  the  women,  casting  aside  their  outer  garments 
of  silk  and  purple,  knelt  and  prayed  long,  invoking  the 
indwelling  spirit  of  life,  called  "  Zi,"  following  it  by  a 
supplication  to  Mul-lil  "  lord  of  the  night-sky,"  and 
concluding  with  an  appeal  to  Istar  herself,  crying, — 

"  In  heaven,  who  is  supreme  ?  Thou  alone  art  su- 
preme !  On  earth,  who  is  supreme  ?  Thou  alone  art 
supreme  !  " 

It  was  a  curious  and  weird  form  of  adoration  and 
worship.  The  Goddess  of  Love  stood  ereqt  and  statu- 
esque, without  moving  a  muscle,  as  each  worshipper, 
advancing,  paid  her  homage.  Some  kissed  her  finger- 
tips, others  her  bare  feet,  each  making  declaration  that 
they  were  henceforward  her  slaves.  Meanwhile,  the 
priestesses,  all  young  women  of  extreme  beauty, 
chanted  softly  strange  hymns  to  the  great  Baal,  head- 
father  and  creator  of  the  universe,  and  with  the  moon- 
light streaming  full  upon  her,  Istar  looked,  indeed,  one 
of  entrancing  beauty,  yet  cold  as  an  icicle.  Above  her 
head  the  statue,  its  stone  arm  outstretched,  held  the 
strange  symbol  that  Azala  and  I  bore  upon  our  breasts, 
and  as  I  stood  watching  I  saw  with  what  intense  de- 
votion the  women  worshipped  her.  Unseemly  rites 
were  undoubtedly  connected  with  the  worship  of  Istar, 
the  Babylonian  Venus,  in  the  time-effaced  city  of  Sar- 
danapalus,  but  here  there  were  no  degrading  symbols  ; 
indeed,  the  surroundings  in  this  elevated  temple  showed 
considerable  purity  of  taste  and  feeling,  and  the  sac- 
rifices were  in  the  form  of  gold,  jewels,  food  and  wine. 

At  length,  after  many  prayers  and  supplications  to 
each  of  the  gods  of  the  celestial  triad,  Istar  turned, 
and,  accompanied  by  her  priestesses,  slowly  moved 


336  {Ebe  Ege  of  Ustar. 

away,  her  votaries  still  remaining  prostrate  upon  their 
faces. 

Behind  the  ekal  in  which  she  had  been  standing  was 
a  veil  of  golden  thread,  which,  being  drawn  aside,  dis- 
closed the  sacred  seat  or  couch  called  the  papakha,  the 
holy  of  holies  of  the  Goddess  of  Love. 

When  we  had  passed  beyond  the  veil,  it  fell  behind 
us,  and  the  priestesses,  having  attended  Istar  at  her 
elaborate  toilet,  she  reclined  with  languor  upon  the  pur- 
ple velvet  cushions  of  her  soft  couch.  Meanwhile,  the 
votaries  were  leaving,  and,  when  the  veil  was  again 
raised,  the  ekal  was  deserted.  But  only  for  a  moment. 
An  aged  man,  in  long,  black  gown,  came  forth  from  the 
darkness,  and,  standing  on  the  spot  where  the  goddess 
had  stood,  raised  both  hands  towards  her.  His  ap- 
pearance was  evidently  part  of  the  annual  custom,  for 
it  was  apparent  that  the  priestesses  and  slaves,  cooling 
their  mistress  with  their  great  fans,  had  expected  him. 

Scarcely,  however,  had  he  opened  his  mouth,  when 
Istar,  springing  from  her  couch,  stood  glaring  at  him 
with  threatening  gesture.  Her  hands  trembled  as 
words  escaped  her,  "  Ah  !  I  had  forgotten  !  For- 
gotten !  "  she  wailed.  Unsteadily  she  swayed  forward 
for  a  moment,, then  sank  back  again  upon  her  couch 
with  blanched  countenance. 

"  Lo  !  "  cried  the  aged  prophet,  in  a  croaking  voice, 
"  through  three-score  years  have  I  uttered  warning  ! 
— the  same  warning,  that  since  the  day  of  the  founder 
of  Ea,  hath  been  spoken  at  the  conclusion  of  each 
Festival  of  Tammuz,  son  of  the  Lady  of  the  Earth." 

"  Yea,  I  know  !  I  know  !  "  gasped  Istar.  "  Loose  not 
thy  tongue's  strings.  Each  year  thou  hast  repeated 
thy  prophecy  ;  spare  me  its  recital  to-night !  " 

"  Semiramis,  our  great  queen,  commanded  that  it 
should  be  uttered,  therefore  seek  not  to  stay  my  words," 


Ube  festival  of  Gammus.  337 

he  answered  reproachfully,  in  a  grave  voice.  "  Thus 
saith  Anu,  god  of  Destruction,  '  Semiramis,  when  she 
built  Ea,  made  no  sacrifice,  because  she  feared  me  not. 
Behold,  I  will  direct  unto  Ea  a  stranger,  who  shall  enter 
within  its  gates,  and  the  day  of  whose  coming  none 
shall  know.  He  shall  be  as  a  sign  unto  you  that  I  will 
bring  upon  Ea  a  king  of  kings  from  the  north,  with 
horses  and  with  chariots,  and  with  horsemen,  and  with 
companies,  and  with  much  people.  He '  " 

"  No  !  "  cried  Istar,  covering  her  haggard  face  with 
her  hands,  while  the  tame  lioness  stood  watching,  her 
tail  sweeping  the  ground.  "  I  knowthou  art  the  skele- 
ton of  the  Feast  of  Tammuz,  but  spare  me  thy  discon- 
certing words." 

The  prophet,  however,  continued,  heedless  of  her 
earnest  supplications. 

" '  He  shall  kill  the  daughters  of  Ea  in  the  field  ;  and  he 
shall  make  a  fort  against  thee,  and  cast  a  mount  against 
thee,  and  lift  up  the  buckler  against  thee.  And  he  shall 
set  engines  of  war  against  thy  walls,  and  with  his  axes 
shall  he  break  down  these  towers.  By  reason  of  the 
abundance  of  his  horses,  their  dust  shall  cover  thee  ; 
the  walls  of  Ea  shall  shake  at  the  noise  of  the  horse- 
men, and  of  the  wheels  and  of  the  chariots,  when  he 
shall  enter  into  thy  gates,  as  men  enter  into  a  city 
wherein  is  made  a  breach.  With  the  hoofs  of  his 
horses  shall  he  tread  down  all  thy  streets  ;  he  shall  put 
thy  people  to  the  sword,  and  thy  strong  garrisons  shall 
be  against  them  as  a  weak  reed.  And  they  shall  kill 
thee  and  send  thee  to  the  city  of  Ninkigat,  ruler  of  the 
great  land  of  evil,  whose  palace  walls  are  clothed  in 
dust,  the  inhabitants  thereof  wearing  robes  of  feathers 
like  birds.  And  they  shall  make  a  spoil  of  thy  riches 
and  a  prey  of  thy  merchandise  ;  and  they  shall  break 
down  thy  walls  and  destroy  thine  houses  ;  and  they 


338  tTbe  Eve  of  Ustar. 


shall  root  up  thy  foundation-stones,  and  lay  thy  timber 
and  thy  dust  in  the  midst  of  the  water.'  " 

Istar  set  her  teeth.  For  an  instant  she  glanced  at 
me,  the  stranger  foretold  by  the  prophet  ;  then  her 
eyes  were  turned  upon  the  man  who  had  prophesied 
her  downfall.  I  saw  in  their  violet  depths  a  steely  glit- 
ter, as  with  one  hand  she  fondled  her  pet  Ninep.  Al- 
most as  the  last  word  left  the  old  man's  lips  she  rose  to 
her  feet,  and,  with  a  word  to  the  lioness,  she  pointed  to 
the  aged  man  who  had  dared  to  incur  her  displeasure. 
Ninep  crouched  at  the  feet  of  her  mistress  for  a  single 
instant,  then,  flying  through  the  air,  fixed  her  deadly 
fangs  in  the  sage's  throat. 

One  loud  scream  of  agony  sounded  as  man  and  beast 
rolled  over  in  deadly  embrace.  Next  second  I  saw  the 
polished  pavement  was  defiled  by  blood. 

Obedient  to  the  call  of  her  mistress,  Ninep  trotted 
back  and  licked  her  hand,  leaving  the  prophet  mangled 
and  dead.  Slaves  quickly  removed  all  evidences  of  the 
tragedy,  and  while  they  did  so  Istar  sank  back,  her  fair 
face  buried  among  the  cushions,  a  single  sob  escaping 
her. 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

THE  TEMPLE  OF  LOVE. 

THAT  night,  in  gloomy  mood,  Istar  reclined  dreamily 
upon  her  soft  papakha,  dismissing  all  her  priestesses 
and  slaves,  so  that  I  remained  alone  with  her.  With 
my  back  to  one  of  the  golden  pillars  supporting  the 
roof,  I  sat  silent  in  thought,  scarce  daring  to  move,  for 
fear  of  the  dozing  lioness.  Istar  had  fallen  into  a 


Gbe  temple  of  Xove,  339 

troubled  sleep,  and  lay  tossing  upon  her  couch  with 
tumbled  tresses. 

A  sudden  murmur  from  her  caused  me  to  glance  in 
her  direction,  when  I  saw  her  lying,  still  asleep,  ghastly 
pale  beneath  the  light  of  the  moon.  Her  robe  was 
disarranged  ;  her  delicate  chest,  that  slowly  heaved  and 
fell,  had  become  revealed.  As  I  looked,  I  discerned,  to 
my  amazement,  that  it  bore  the  device  of  the  entwined 
asps,  identically  the  same  as  had  been  branded  upon 
me  ;  the  same  as  appeared  on  the  rock-tablet  of  Semi- 
ramis  ! 

Azala  had  spoken  the  truth.  So  far  had  the  Mystery 
of  the  Asps  been  revealed.  The  strange  link  that 
joined  me  with  the  daughter  of  the  Sultan  'Othman 
joined  us  both,  in  some  unaccountable  manner,  to  the 
goddess-queen  of  this  ancient  land  of  marvels.  I  rose, 
and,  creeping  nearer,  minutely  examined  the  mystic 
mark  upon  her  chest.  It  was  seared  as  deeply,  and 
presented  a  blemish  as  hideous,  as  my  own.  Lying,  as 
she  was,  in  graceful  abandon,  with  one  arm  flung  over 
her  head,  her  chest  rose  and  fell  each  time  she  breathed, 
but  suddenly  she  drew  a  long,  deep-drawn  sigh,  and 
her  eyes  opened. 

I  started  back,  but  already  she  had  detected  me. 

"Well?"  she  exclaimed,  regarding  me  with  dreamy 
glance  through  her  half-opened  lashes,  slowly  readjust- 
ing the  white  silken  robe  that  had  come  apart  at  the 
neck,  "Why  hast  thou  approached  me  ?" 

"Thou  hast  slept  uneasily,"  I  answered,  "and  a 
hideous  mark  upon  thy  breast  became  revealed."' 

Languidly  she  raised  her  head  upon  her  arm,  and 
with  eyes  still  half  closed,  like  Ninep,  her  dozing  lioness, 
she  said, — 

"Come  hither,  Zafar.     Come  to  my  side." 

Obediently   I  approached    her   couch.      Her  breast 


340  ftbe  B^e  of  Ifetar. 

rose,  causing  her  diamonds  to  sparkle.  During  the 
past  few  days  I  had  not  failed  to  notice  in  her  manner 
an  entire  change.  She  accorded  me  more  liberty  ;  she 
no  longer  placed  her  spiteful  heel  upon  my  neck  as  sign 
of  triumph,  and  seldom  she  spoke  to  me  with  wilful 
gesture.  Once,  the  amazing  thought  had  flashed  across 
my  mind  that  she  actually  loved  me,  but  at  such 
absurd  notion  I  had  laughed  and  placed  it  aside. 

"  What  seest  thou  in  the  Mark  of  the  Asps  to  amaze 
thee?"  she  asked,  when  I  had  drawn  nigh  to  her,  and 
Ninep  sniffed  my  legs  inquisitively.. 

"It  is  as  a  strange  mark,"  I  answered.  "I  was 
wondering  what  its  meaning  might  be." 

"  Ah  !  "  she  sighed.  "  Its  meaning  none  can  tell, 
save  that  those  who  bear  it  are  the  doomed." 

"  The  doomed  !  "  I  gasped.     "  Why  ? 

"Upon  his  accursed  Anu  setteth  his  mark.  Hence 
it  is  that  I  bear  it,"  she  answered,  gravely.  "  Thou  art 
mine  enemy,  Zafar,"  she  added,  after  a  slight,  painful 
pause.  "  To-night  have  I  sent  away  my  women,  so 
that  I  may  speak  with  thee,  the  stranger  whose  coming 
hath  been  prophesied  for  ages.  By  all  men  in  Ea  I  am 
supposed  to  hate  thee,  yet — yet " 

Again  she  paused,  looking  at  me  intently  with  eyes 
in  which  burned  the  unmistakable  light  of  love. 

"  Yet  thou  canst  not  bring  thyself  to  cast  me  into 
the  lions' pit,"  I  observed,  smiling  bitterly.  "Better 
that  thou  shouldst  give  me  my  liberty,  and  allow  me  to 
depart." 

"  Never,"  she  cried,  starting  up.  "  Thou  shalt  never 
leave  me.  If  I  am  doomed  to  die,  thou  shalt  die  also." 

"  Why  ?"  I  asked.     "  I  have  wrought  thee  no  ill." 

"  Thou  hast  struck  the  chord  of  affection  within  my 
heart,  Zafar,"  she  said,  passionately. 

"  Already   have  I  told  thee  that  Azala,  daughter  of 


ZEbe  {Temple  of  Xove.  341 

the  Sultan  'Othman,  is  betrothed  to  me,"  I  answered, 
not  in  the  least  surprised  at  this  passionate  declaration. 

"  Heed  her  not,"  she  cried.  "  Already  I  know  that 
Anu,  though  he  sendeth  thee  hither  as  sign  of  the 
overthrow  of  Ea,  hath,  nevertheless,  placed  upon  thee 
also  the  Mark  of  the  Asps." 

I  started.  I  had  no  idea  that  she  had  ascertained 
the  secret  hidden  beneath  my  robe  of  crimson  silk. 
Some  slave  must,  at  her  bidding,  have  examined  my 
chest  as  I  slept. 

"And  if  so?" 

"  Then  thou  wilt  assuredly  meet  with  a  violent  end." 

I  smiled,  and  she  regarded  me  with  knit  brows. 

"  If  thou  art  my  friend,"  I  said,  "  then  thou  wilt 
release  me." 

"  No.  None  departs  from  or  enters  the  Land  of  the 
No  Return,"  she  answered.  "  Since  the  foundation  of 
Ea  one  man  only  escaped  into  the  outer  world.  It 
happened  ages  ago.  He  never  returned  hither,  for  on 
the  day  the  calamity  befel  us  Anu  was  wroth,  a  great 
earthquake  occurred,  and  the  gate  by  which  he  made 
his  exit  became  closed  for  ever." 

Already  had  I  heard  a  similar  legend  during  my 
long  and  eager  search  for  the  Rock  of  Sin,  the  Moon- 
god,  the  "  illuminator  of  the  earth  and  lord  of  laws." 

"Who  was  the  man  who  escaped?"  I  inquired. 

"  Legend  saith  his  name  was  Nebo,"  she  answered. 
"  Knowest  thou  any  of  that  name  ?  " 

In  the  negative  I  replied,  reflecting  upon  the  strange 
story  of  the  escape  of  this  man  beyond  the  confines  of 
Ea,  and  wondering  what  adventures  befel  him. 

Then  she  went  on  to  relate  how,  on  many  occasions, 
there  had  appeared  in  cloud  pictures,  or  mirages,  in- 
verted pictures  of  the  unapproachable  world  beyond  ; 
and  I,  in  turn,  explained  how  the  Rock  of  the  Moon- 


342  Ubc  Ese  of  flstar. 


god  and  the  Mountains  of  the  Mist  appeared  frequently 
in  the  desert  mirage  in  far-off  Kano. 

"Hast  thou  ever  seen  Ea  mirrored  on  the  clouds?" 
she  inquired. 

"  Never,"  I  answered.  "  Thy  city  is  unknown,  hence 
my  speechless  amazement  at  its  discovery." 

"Why  desirest  thou  to  return  to  thy  land  of  evil  ?" 
she  asked,  stretching  forth  her  hand  and  softly  strok- 
ing Ninep's  sleek  back. 

"  Because  of  the  woman  I  love." 

She  bit  her  lip  to  the  blood,  and  glanced  at  me  with 
an  evil  glint  in  her  bright  eyes. 

"  Thou  carest  naught  for  me,"  she  observed,  re- 
proachfully, regarding  me  sharply  with  narrowing 
brows. 

"I  am  but  thy  captive,"  I  responded.  "As  Queen 
of  Ea  thou  mayest  not  allow  love  to  enter  thine  heart 
until  thou  growest  old.  Why  dost  thou  taunt  me  ?  " 

Mention  of  the  rigid  law  of  her  great  ancestress, 
Semiramis,  caused  her  to  frown. 

"  So  be  it,"  she  answered,  hoarsely.  "If  thou  wilt 
not  renounce  thy  love  for  this  woman  who  dwelleth  in 
thine  accursed  land,  then  thou  art  still  my  slave." 

"  I  am  content,"  I  said. 

"  Thou  hast  chosen  ?  "  she  inquired,  slowly  rising  to 
her  feet  and  standing  erect  before  me. 

"  I  have  chosen." 

"  Then  to-morrow  the  lions  shall  rend  thee  in  full 
gaze  of  the  assembled  people  of  Ea,  who  shall  make 
sport  of  thy  supplications,  and  thy  cries  shall  be  as 
music  unto  their  ears,"  she  burst  forth,  in  a  sudden 
fury  of  passion.  "  Anu  shall  rend  thee,  Nergal,  lord  of 
death,  shall  seize  thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  accursed  by 
the  Fever-god,  and  cast  into  the  dread  kingdom  of 
Niffer.  Baal  shall  show  thee  no  mercy  ;  Adarmalik, 


£emple  of  love.  343 

lord  of  the  noon-day  sun,  shall  hide  his  light  from 
thee  ;  Shamas  shall  blind  thee,  and  thou  shalt  exist  for 
ever  in  the  torments  prepared  by  Ninkigat  in  the 
burning  land  where  all  is  dust.  Thou  hast  disdained 
the  favors  that  I  would  have  bestowed  upon  thee, 
despised  me,  and  flung  back  the  love  that  I  would  have 
given  thee.  Therefore  shalt  thou  die.  I,  Istar,  ruler 
of  Ea,  have  spoken." 

Her  beautiful  face  was  distorted  by  fierce,  uncon- 
trolled passion,  vituperation  fell  from  her  lips  with  a 
rapidity  which  almost  choked  her,  her  mass  of  dead 
gold  hair  had  escaped  from  its  fillet  and  fell  in  profusion 
about  her  shoulders,  while  her  white,  filmy  robe,  open 
again  at  the  neck,  disclosed  the  hideous,  mysterious 
blemish  scarred  dark  red  upon  the  white  flesh — the 
mark  that  was  branded  upon  the  woman  I  loved  as 
well  as  the  queen-goddess  who  had  condemned  me  to 
death. 

My  dogged  silence  enraged  her.  It  seemed  as 
though  during  the  weeks  of  my  captivity  she  had  un- 
consciously grown  to  regard  me  with  affection,  and 
held  me  as  slave  of  her  caprice.  Yet  my  thoughts, 
ever  of  Azala,  were  so  full  that  I  had  never  before 
actually  realized  the  position  in  which  I  now  suddenly 
found  myself. 

"  Thou  utterest  no  word  !  "  she  cried.  "  Thou  art 
still  defiant.  To-morrow  wilt  thou  crave  mercy  at  my 
feet,  but  I  will  show  thee  none.  Thou  hast  sneered  at 
my  power,  set  at  naught  my  good-will,  and  refused  to 
abandon  all  thought  of  return  to  thy  land  of  evil,  and 
the  woman  who  holdeth  thee  entranced.  Thou  shalt 
never  look  upon  her  face  again  !  " 

I  turned  away  from  the  irate  beauty,  whose  hands 
were  clenched  within  their  palms  until  the  nails  drew 
blood,  and  without  replying,  slowly  crossed  the  polished 


344  Gbe  j£ye  of  Istar. 

pavement  of  the  temple,  passing  over  the  spot  whereon 
the  hapless  prophet  had  fallen  beneath  Ninep's  deadly 
claws,  and  advancing  to  the  sculptured  parapet  of  ala- 
baster, whereon  I  leaned  in  thought,  gazing  down  upon 
the  gay,  brightly-lit  city,  and  the  great  buildings  and 
courts  which  comprised  the  wonderful  House  of  the 
Raising  of  the  Head.  Ninep  uttered  a  low  growl. 
The  moon  shone  brightly,  lighting  up  the  extensive 
view  on  every  hand.  Below  lay  the  well-remembered 
flight  of  steps,  brilliantly  illuminated,  with  their  double 
row  of  guards  in  shining  breastplates.  Beyond  the 
palace  walls  the  lights  of  the  streets  showed  in  long, 
straight  lines.  Above,  the  shaft  of  intense  white 
brilliance,  the  inextinguishable  Eye  of  Istar,  still 
streamed  forth  upon  the  wondrous  city  of  Ea,  lighting 
up  its  terraces,  its  obelisks  and  colossal  temples  like 
day,  while,  far  away  in  the  distance,  the  snowy,  serrated 
crests  of  the  Mountains  of  the  Mist  showed  high, 
ghost-like,  mysterious. 

Beyond  lay  freedom  and  Azala.  Already  had  I  wit- 
nessed that  Istar,  quick  tempered  and  passionate,  was 
capable  of  any  cruelty  or  treachery,  even  towards  her 
most  trusted  friends.  This  woman,  worshipped  as 
Goddess  of  Love,  was,  indeed,  full  of  grace,  beautiful 
in  form,  with  a  face  almost  flawless  ;  but  the  cruelties 
she  practised  almost  daily  were  revolting.  To  incur 
her  anger  meant  death,  either  upon  the  torture-wheel 
or  in  the  lion  pit,  and  ofttimes,  while  standing  beside 
her,  I  had  noticed  the  exultant  pleasure  with  which 
she  condemned  men  and  women  to  torture  or  to  the 
grave.  The  people  of  Ea  called  her  goddess  ;  I 
thought  her  a  fiend. 

As  over  the  parapet  I  gazed  aimlessly  away  across 
the  gigantic  capital  of  this  world-forgotten  race,  it  be- 
came impressed  upon  me  that,  to  save  my  life,  I  must 


Cemple  of  Zove.  345 

at  once  seek  means  of  escape.  But  how  ?  As  Istar's 
personal  slave,  it  seemed  impossible  to  elude  her  vigi- 
lance ;  even  if  I  escaped  outside  the  city  my  way  back 
to  the  Rock  of  the  Moon-god  was  uncertain.  I  recol- 
lected also  that  within  the  gloomy  cavern  there  existed 
an  utterly  impassable  barrier  between  myself  and  the 
world  I  had  left — that  roaring  inrush  of  water  descend- 
ing to  feed  the  subterranean  river.  Times  without 
number  thoughts  of  freedom  had  possessed  me,  but  on 
each  occasion  I  had  been  forced  to  abandon  hope,  re- 
sign myself  to  the  galling  captivity  in  which  I  existed, 
and  possess  my  soul  in  patience. 

Now,  however,  I  had  become  desperate.  The  moon, 
while  I  stood  watching  long  and  earnestly,  became  ob- 
scured by  a  dense  black  cloud  shaped  like  a  falcon's 
wing,  which  left  only  a  patch  of  green  sky  half  round 
its  disc.  On  either  side  of  the  city  the  great  plain 
stretched  dark  and  wide.  The  shapes  of  the  mountains 
could  not  be  discerned,  but  showed  like  a  heavy  cloud 
bank  against  the  horizon.  My  strained  eyes  could 
discern  a  speck  of  light  afar  off,  which,  as  it  was  too 
low  for  a  star,  could  only  mark  the  existence  of  some 
house  on  the  distant  mountain-side.  The  silence  could 
be  felt. 

The  day  of  feasting  and  mad  gaiety  had,  it  seemed, 
exhausted  all  the  voices  of  nature  as  well  as  those  of 
men. 

At  length  I  turned  towards  the  papakha.  Istar  had 
sunk  back  upon  her  purple  couch,  wearied  by  the  con- 
tinuous gaiety  of  the  festival,  and  forgetful  of  her 
wrath,  had  again  fallen  asleep,  her  head  thrown  back 
upon  a  great,  tasselled  cushion  of  rose  silk.  One  of 
her  slippers  had  fallen  off,  disclosing  her  bare  foot, 
with  its  heavy,  bejewelled  anklets,  while  near  her 
Ninep  had  stretched  her  long  body,  with  her  snout  be- 


346  $be  Bge  of  fstar. 

tween  her  paws.  Between  us  stood  the  life-sized 
statue  upon  its  pedestal,  the  image  of  Love,  before 
which  all  women  of  Ea  bowed  and  made  sacrifice. 
Ghostly  it  looked  in  the  pale  half  light  with  the  symbol 
of  the  entwined  asps  held  within  its  right  hand,  and  as 
I  advanced  towards  it  I  touched  its  base.  The  stone 
had  been  worn  smooth  as  glass  by  the  lips  of  priest- 
esses and  votaries  who  had  worshipped  at  that  shrine 
through  all  the  ages  since  Semiramis ;  the  feet  and 
legs  were  worn  hollow  and  out  of  symmetry  by  the 
osculations  of  the  millions  of  women  who  had  ascended 
that  tower  to  the  gorgeous  Temple  of  Istar  to  pros- 
trate themselves.  The  image  stretched  forth  its  arm 
over  me  ominously,  and  the  perfumed  smoke  from  the 
braziers,  whirled  up  by  a  breath  of  the  night  wind, 
wrapped  around  me  a  subtle,  almost  suffocating,  fra- 
grance. 

Istar  slept  on  with  heaving  breasts.  One  chance 
alone  remained  to  me — a  dash  for  liberty. 

Advancing  cautiously  a  few  paces  I  craned  my  neck 
to  satisfy  myself  that  her  slumber  was  not  feigned; 
then,  with  a  last  look  upon  her,  I  turned  and  crept 
silently  away  into  the  shadow  where  the  stairs  de- 
scended. 

I  had  just  reached  them,  when  a  faint  rustling  behind 
me  caused  me  to  glance  quickly  round.  In  an  instant 
I  recognized  the  truth.  Istar  had  followed  me.  With 
a  cry  of  rage  she  sprang  upon  me,  her  poniard  gleam- 
iug  in  her  hand.  Long  ago  she  had  vowed  to  kill  me  if 
I  attempted  to  leave  her  side,  and  it  was  now  her  in- 
tention to  carry  out  her  threat.  One  fierce  blow  she 
aimed  at  my  heart,  and  in  warding  it  off  the  blade 
gashed  my  arm.  At  the  same  moment,  however,  I 
wrested  the  weapon  from  her  hand,  and  held  her 
tightly  by  the  wrists. 


WITH    A   CRY   OF   RAGE    SHE   SPRANG    UPON    ME." — Page  346. 


temple  of  3Love.  347 

To  free  herself  she  struggled  violently,  but  I  held 
her  powerless,  when  suddenly  there  was  a  low,  ominous 
growl,  and  Ninep,  in  defence  of  her  mistress,  pounced 
upon  me,  her  great  claws  fixing  themselves  in  my  left 
shoulder.  Instantly  I  recognized  the  ferocity  of  my 
second  adversary,  and  releasing  Istar,  I  plunged  the 
long,  keen  knife  full  into  the  eye  of  the  lioness. 

Fortunately  my  aim  proved  true,  for  in  a  few  seconds 
the  great  brute,  her  brain  penetrated,  fell  back  help- 
less and  dying. 

Again  Istar,  with  the  fury  of  a  virago,  rushed  upon 
me,  declaring  that  I  should  not  escape.  My  first  im- 
pulse was  to  kill  her.  Indeed,  I  confess  I  raised  my 
knife  to  plunge  it  into  her  breast,  but  next  second 
gripped  her  by  the  throat,  and  hurled  her  back  upon 
the  pavement  where  she  lay  huddled  in  a  heap,  stunned, 
motionless,  and  unconscious. 

With  a  final  glance  at  her  inanimate  form,  I  secreted 
the  knife  within  my  silken  girdle,  then  dashed  down 
the  stairs — down,  down,  through  the  six  deserted  tem- 
ples, tier  on  tier,  until  I  reached  the  silent  courtyard, 
which  I  hastily  crossed  and  went  to  Istar's  private 
apartment,  whence  I  took  a  small  tablet  of  sun-dried 
clay  whereon  a  message  had  been  impressed.  This  I 
placed  in  my  pouch,  and,  taking  a  staff,  set  forth  to 
gain  my  freedom. 

In  fear  each  moment  lest  Istar  should  regain  con- 
sciousness, and  raise  the  alarm,  I  hurried  on  through 
the  great  apartments  with  their  colossal  sculptures, 
where  scribes  and  courtiers,  officials  and  soldiers,  were 
slumbering  after  the  week's  festivities,  and  at  length 
gained  the  head  of  the  brilliantly-lit  flight  of  steps,  the 
one  way  by  which  the  royal  palace  could  be  approached. 

As  soon  as  I  drew  near  to  the  head  of  the  broad 
stairs  the  lances  of  the  guards  were  interlaced  from 


348  Gbe  Eye  of  tfstar. 

top  to  bottom.  My  passage  was  barred  until  I  had  ex- 
plained to  the  two  officers  that  I  was  bearer  of  an 
urgent  message  from  Istar,  and  exhibited  to  them  the 
tablet  bearing  her  seal.  Then  only  was  I  allowed  to 
proceed.  At  each  of  the  seven  gates  between  the  ac- 
tual entrance  to  the  palace  and  the  brazen  gate  of  the 
city,  I  presented  my  credential  and  was  afforded  free 
passage.  In  trepidation  I  approached  one  of  the  great 
doors  of  polished  brass  that  closed  the  entrance  to  the 
city,  and  again  drew  forth  the  tablet.  The  officer  of 
the  watch  scrutinized  it  long  and  carefully  by  the  aid 
of  his  lantern,  then,  finding  everything  satisfactory, 
gave  orders  that  the  gate  should  be  opened  to  pass  out 
,a  messenger  of  Istar. 

One  of  the  ponderous  doors  creaked  at  last,  and 
groaning,  slowly  fell  back  just  sufficiently  to  allow  me 
to  pass. 

"  May  Merodach  guard  thee,  messenger,"  shouted 
the  officer  as  I  went  forth. 

"And  thee  also,"  I  answered,  as  out  upon  the  plain  I 
sped  quickly  in  the  direction  of  freedom.  Behind  me 
the  shaft  of  white  light  still  streamed  from  the  summit 
of  the  Temple  of  the  Seven  Lights  ;  before  me  were 
the  half-obscured  Mountains  of  the  Mist. 

Once  I  glanced  back  upon  the  wonderful  centre  of  a 
civilization  unknown  to  the  world,  then  resolutely  I  set 
my  face  towards  the  pole-star,  determined  to  put  as 
great  a  distance  as  possible  between  myself  and  those 
who  would  undoubtedly  pursue  me  ere  the  first  saffron 
streak  of  dawn  showed  the  direction  of  Mecca. 


CtooKeD  ipatbs.  349 

CHAPTER  XLII. 

CROOKED    PATHS. 

FULL  of  increasing  anxiety  were  the  days  following 
my  escape  from  Ea.  At  dawn,  while  high  in  the  shad- 
owy Mountains  of  the  Mist,  I  heard  the  alarm  beaten 
in  the  distant  city  below,  and  could  just  distinguish, 
through  the  cloud  of  vapor,  troops  of  horsemen  leaving 
the  brazen  gates  to  scour  the  country  in  search  of  me. 
Istar  had,  no  doubt,  recovered,  and,  perhaps,  had  de- 
clared that  I  had  made  an  attempt  upon  her  life.  A 
determined  effort  would,  I  knew,  be  made  to  secure 
me  ;  therefore,  having  found  the  path  I  recognized  as 
having  before  traversed,  I  pushed  onward,  day  by  day, 
until  I  reached  the  ruins  of  the  great  temple  which  had 
held  me  in  wonderment  when  first  I  had  entered  that 
mysterious  realm  ;  then,  striking  due  north,  through 
forest  and  fertile,  park-like  country,  I  came  to  a  river 
which  I  remembered  was  not  far  distant  from  the 
small,  half-concealed  hole  whence  I  had  emerged. 
Proceeding  along  its  sedgy  bank  at  early  morning,  I 
came  round  a  sharp  bend,  espying,  to  my  amazement,  a 
cluster  of  tents  before  me,  and  held  back  only  just  in 
time  to  escape  detection.  Already  my  pursuers  were 
ahead  of  me  !  Nevertheless,  taking  a  circuitous  route, 
and  sleeping  in  a  tree  that  night,  my  eyes,  after  long 
and  diligent  search,  were  gladdened  by  the  sight  of  the 
spot  I  sought. 

As  I  stood  before  it,  I  reflected  that,  although  I  had 
defeated  the  evil  design  of  Istar,  I  was  still  in  a  po- 
sition equally  as  perilous  as  before,  because  of  the 
raging,  foaming  torrent,  which,  descending  from  the 
Lake  of  the  Accursed  through  its  funnel-like  aperture, 


350  Gbe  ~£yz  of  tstar. 


formed  a  natural  and  insurmountable  barrier  to  my 
freedom.  Ea  was  indeed  the  Land  of  the  No  Return. 

I  had  eaten  my  frugal  morning  meal,  and  was  about 
to  leisurely  enter  the  long,  natural  chamber  beneath 
the  rock,  and  there  decide  upon  some  plan  of  action, 
when  suddenly  the  bright  gleam  of  arms  through  the 
greenery  attracted  my  attention,  and  a  moment  later  I 
found  myself  confronted  by  two  of  Istar's  soldiers,  who 
had  evidently  been  watching  me. 

They  called  upon  me  to  surrender,  at  the  same  time 
shouting  to  their  comrades  ;  but,  without  an  instant's 
hesitation,  I  evaded  their  grasp  and  scrambling  up  into 
the  hole,  plunged  into  the  dark  fissure  and  sped  quickly 
along  over  rocks  and  stones,  heedless  of  where  I  went. 
Hurrying  footsteps  sounded  behind  me,  the  voices  of 
my  eager  pursuers  echoing  loudly  through  the  place, 
causing  the  flock  of  bats  and  birds  nesting  there  to 
fly  out  into  the  sunlight  in  a  dense,  screaming  crowd, 
while  I,  dashing  onward,  fled  like  a  rat  before  a  ferret. 

The  chase  in  the  pitch  darkness  was  long,  wearying 
and  desperate.  It  was  a  race  for  life.  By  their  voices 
I  could  distinguish  that  the  soldiers  were  gradually 
gaining  upon  me  ;  yet,  struggling  on,  now  and  then 
falling  and  cutting  my  knees  as  I  scrambled  over  the 
sharp  rocks,  being  always  compelled  to  keep  my  hands 
stretched  forth  lest  I  should  stun  myself  against  the 
rough  sides  of  the  natural  passage.  Still,  I  was  de- 
termined to  hold  out  until  the  last,  although  not  a 
single  ray  of  hope  glimmered  through  the  dispiriting 
gloom.  Istar  had  told  me  that,  as  bearer  of  the  Mark 
of  the  Asps,  I  was  doomed.  Although  I  struggled  for- 
ward I  had  been  compelled  to  abandon  all  hope  of  re- 
turning again  to  Azala. 

Close  behind  me  were  my  pursuers,  yelling  like 
fiends.  The  place  sent  back  weird,  unearthly  echoes 


CtoofceO  ipatba,  351 

from  its  uneven,  vaulted  roof,  yet,  in  the  utter  darkness, 
they  could  not  see  me,  but  only  pressed  forward,  eager 
to  run  me  to  earth  and  ascertain  the  extent  of  the 
strange,  unknown  grotto. 

Suddenly  I  held  my  breath,  feeling  myself  treading 
for  an  instant  upon  air,  and  uttering  a  loud  shriek 
when  I  realized  the  truth.  I  had  forgotten  the  great 
chasm  into  which  I  had  so  nearly  fallen  when  last  I  had 
passed  there,  and  had  now  plunged  headlong  into  it  ! 
Down,  down,  I  felt  myself  falling,  until  the  fearful  ve- 
locity with  which  I  descended  rendered  me  giddy. 
Those  moments  in  mid-air  seemed  an  hour,  until,  after 
dropping  a  long  distance,  I  felt  a  sudden  blow  on  the 
back  that  drove  the  breath  from  my  body  and  held  me 
paralyzed.  I  knew  then  that  I  was  lost. 

When,  a  few  minutes  later,  I  again  became  conscious, 
I  heard  excited  voices  far  above  uttering  words  of 
caution.  My  shriek  had  evidently  been  noticed  by  my 
pursuers,  who,  surmising  that  some  evil  had  befallen 
me,  halted,  and  feeling  their  way  carefully  forward, 
had  discovered  the  wide  chasm  which  I  had  believed 
unfathomable.  I  was  lying  in  soft  dust  which,  pre- 
venting any  of  my  bones  being  broken,  had  also  dead- 
ened the  sound  when,  long  ago,  I  had  cast  stones  into 
the  pit  to  ascertain  its  depth.  Slowly  I  struggled  to 
my  feet,  and  finding  myself  uninjured,  began  groping 
about  in  the  darkness  to  ascertain  the  accurate  dimen- 
sions of  the  abyss.  Half  choked  by  the  fine  dust,  I 
stumbled  about,  with  outstretched  hands,  but  could 
discover  neither  sides  nor  roof,  when  suddenly  a  sol- 
dier's robe,  which  had  been  saturated  in  some  oil  from 
a  lantern  and  was  flaming,  tumbled  down  upon  the  spot 
where  I  had  fallen.  My  pursuers  had  done  this  to  as- 
certain the  depth  of  the  chasm. 

The  welcome  light  revealed  to  me  that,  instead  of 


352  Gbe  J6£e  of  Ustar. 

being  in  an  abyss,  I  had  been  precipitated  into  a  lower 
and  larger  cavern,  the  roof  of  which  was  hung  with 
huge  stalactites,  glittering  with  prismatic  fire,  and  of 
dimensions  so  enormous  that  the  fitful  glare  did  not 
reveal  its  opposite  extremity. 

Fortunately,  in  my  efforts  to  discover  the  extent  of 
the  weird  place,  I  had  advanced  some  little  distance 
from  the  bottom  of  the  pit,  therefore  my  pursuers  saw 
me  not. 

"  He  hath  vanished  !  "  I  heard  one  man  cry.  "  Of  a 
verity  he  is  the  Destroyer,  the  son  of  Anu,  whom  to 
attempt  to  capture  is  as  futile  as  the  endeavor  to 
make  water  run  up  hill." 

"  He  sprang  into  the  gulf,  and  disappeared  like  a 
spirit,"  cried  another,  as  he  peered  over  into  the 
yawning  chasm.  "  It  was  his  intention  that  we  should 
follow  and  be  dashed  to  pieces  on  the  rocks.  His  cry 
alone  saved  us." 

"  Come,"  I  heard  another  voice  exclaim,  "  let  us 
leave  this  noisome  abode  of  Anu,  or  his  hand  may 
wither  and  destroy  us  as  it  destroyed  the  Temple  of 
Sin." 

Soon  the  light  died  down  to  glowing  tinder,  and  the 
voices,  growing  fainter,  were  quickly  lost  in  distant 
echoes. 

I  knew  I  was  entombed.  To  search  for  any  exit 
seemed  hopeless.  Nevertheless,  with  a  supplication  to 
Allah  to  lighten  his  servant's  burdens,  I  tore  a  strip 
from  my  robe,  unravelled  it,  and  by  blowing  upon  the 
glowing  tinder,  obtained  a  light  for  my  torch.  Then, 
having  improvised  several  more  torches  in  case  of 
necessity,  I  started  forward.  On  every  side  was  a 
cavernous  blackness,  so  large  was  the  natural  chamber 
into  which  I  had  fallen.  Still  I  strove  on,  determined 
at  least  to  ascertain  its  true  dimensions, 


CroofceD  fl5atb0.  353 

Presently  I  raised  a  loud  shout,  and  listened.  In  a 
thousand  distant  echoes  my  voice  came  back,  showing 
that  the  cavern  was  of  wondrous  extent.  The  ground 
was  not  uneven,  though  here  and  there  were  large 
masses  of  rock,  thrown  up,  as  if  by  the  same  earth- 
quake as  had  formed  the  Lake  of  the  Accursed,  and, 
hurrying  forward,  I  gazed  about  me  to  discover  some- 
thing in  the  impenetrable  blackness  on  every  hand. 

One  fact  alone  gave  me  courage.  The  air  was  good, 
showing  that  somewhere  was  an  outlet  to  the  world 
above. 

Thus,  with  frantic  effort,  I  struggled  on,  lighting  a 
second  torch,  and  keeping  straight  ahead,  until  at  last, 
to  my  dismay,  I  was  confronted  by  the  damp  wall  of 
rock  that  formed  the  end  of  the  cavern.  Turning  at 
right  angles,  I  walked  beside  this  wall  to  ascertain 
the  width  of  the  chamber,  when,  having  proceeded 
about  thirty  paces,  I  discovered  a  fissure,  or  tunnel- 
like  passage  of  considerable  width,  which  led  away  into 
the  deep  gloom  beyond. 

Determined,  at  least,  to  explore  its  length,  I  plunged 
into  it,  holding  my  torch  high  above  my  head.  At 
first  it  descended  slowly,  then  rose  with  gradual  ascent, 
sometimes  narrowing,  at  others  widening,  until  I  again 
came  to  a  blank  wall  of  rock. 

I  had  been  deceived.  It  was  a  mere  fantastic  cul-de- 
sac. 

A  moment's  pause,  then,  turning  with  sinking  heart, 
I  retraced  my  steps  a  considerable  distance  until,  just 
before  I  emerged  into  the  great  cavern  again,  I  be- 
came aware  of  a  second  grotto  leading  out  of  the 
natural  tunnel  wherein  I  stood.  This  I  had  not  before 
noticed,  therefore,  with  eager  steps,  started  forward  to 
explore  it.  Here  again  the  ground  rose,  but  the 
cavern  was  spacious,  and  leading  out  of  it  was  another 


354  ftbe  Ege  of  flstat, 


grotto  rising  gradually  and  leading  to  a  third,  slightly 
narrower,  through  which  I  toiled  for  fully  half-an-hour, 
burning  the  whole  of  my  outer  robe  as  torches,  until 
by  accident  my  light  became  entirely  extinguished. 
Unable  to  rekindle  it,  I  was  plunged  in  darkness  that 
could  be  felt.  Striving  on  undaunted,  however,  my 
eager  hands  came  at  last  in  contact  with  a  wall  of  rock 
before  me  ;  but,  scarce  had  I  made  this  dismaying  dis- 
covery, ere  I  found  that  the  subterranean  burrow  took 
a  sudden  turn  at  right  angles,  and  again  ascended 
sharply. 

To  my  surprise  the  rocky  roof  above  me  became  just 
distinguishable.  A  gray  light  showed  ghostly  and  in- 
distinct. Then,  a  moment  later,  as  I  mounted  the 
steep  ascent,  I  saw,  straight  before  me,  the  blessed 
light  of  day,  and  uttered  a  loud  cry  of  relief  and  joy. 

In  eagerness  I  sped  forward,  rushing  out  of  the  cave, 
the  mouth  of  which  was  half  choked  by  brushwood  and 
brambles,  to  find  that  I  had  actually  passed  beneath 
the  Lake  of  the  Accursed,  and  was  beyond  the  confines 
of  the  Land  of  the  No  Return. 

Only  by  a  miracle  had  I  escaped  death.  Of  a  verity 
Allah  maketh  abundant  provision  for  such  of  his  ser- 
vants as  he  pleaseth,  therefore  I  knelt  to  return"  thanks 
for  my  deliverance. 

My  exit  had  been  made  at  the  edge  of  the  forest, 
within  actual  sight  of  the  towering  Rock  of  the  Moon- 
god,  and  having  riveted  its  exact  position  upon  my 
memory,  I  plucked  some  bananas  and  ate  them,  after- 
wards setting  my  face  to  the  north  on  my  long  journey 
back  to  Kano. 

Following  the  directions  given  me  by  my  lost  friend 
Yakul,  I  searched  for  the  track  which  he  had  told  me 
ran  through  the  great  forest  to  Ipoto,  and  after  some 
little  difficulty  discovered  it  ;  then,  traversing  it  for 


CroofceD  patbs.  355 

many  days  amid  the  forest  gloom,  I  at  length  reached 
the  town  he  had  named.  To  detail  my  journey  north- 
ward is  unnecessary.  Ever  pressing  forward,  and  with- 
out meeting  with  much  adventure,  I  swam  the  Ihourou 
river,  and  joining  a  party  of  traders,  crossed  the  rocky 
country  of  the  Mbelia,  passing  beneath  the  snow- 
capped summit  of  the  mountain  called  Nai,  eventually 
arriving  at  Niam-Niam.  Here  I  was  fortunate  enough 
to  fall  in  with  a  caravan  bound  for  Katsena,  within  the 
Empire  of  the  Sultan  'Othman  ;  and  three  moons  after 
my  escape  from  Ea  I  experienced  the  delight  of  seeing 
the  minarets  and  cupolas  of  Kano  rise  dark  against  the 
blood-red  sunset. 

News  I  gained  in  Katsena,  however,  had  caused  me 
most  intense  anxiety.  Although,  as  far  as  I  could  learn, 
no  conspiracy  against  the  Sultan  had  been  attempted, 
yet  I  heard  from  Arab  traders  in  the  market-place  that 
Azala,  my  beloved,  was  to  be  given  as  bride  to  the 
Khalifa,  in  order  to  further  cement  the  friendship  be- 
tween Sokoto  and  the  Eastern  Soudan.  It  had  been 
arranged  months  ago,  before  the  Khalifa's  return  to 
Omdurman,  and  the  date  of  Azala's  departure  for  the 
east  was  already  past.  Therefore,  in  fear  lest  the  wo- 
man I  loved  should  have  already  left,  under  escort,  to 
become  bride  of  the  brutal  autocrat,  I  spurred  forward 
over  the  desert  to  Kano. 

My  first  breathless  question  of  the  guards  at  the  gate 
was  of  Azala.  She  had  not  left,  they  answered,  but 
preparations  were  complete,  and  she  would  go  forth, 
with  a  large  armed  escort,  at  noon  on  the  morrow. 
Then  I  made  sudden  resolve,  and  entered  the  great 
Fada  to  boldly  seek  audience  of  the  Sultan  'Othman, 
the  ruler  who  had  forbidden  me  to  re-enter  his  Empire 
on  pain  of  death. 

While  passing  beneath  the  high,  sun-blanched  wall  of 


356  {Ibe  jEge  of  Ustar. 

the  harem,  on  my  way  to  the  Hall  of  Audience,  I  came 
face  to  face  with  the  dwarf  Tiamo,  who,  on  beholding 
me  whom  he  thought  dead,  stood  petrified.  When  I 
had  reassured  him,  he  briefly  explained  how  he  had  re- 
turned to  Azala  with  news  of  my  tragic  end  ;  how, 
overwhelmed  by  bitter  grief,  she  had  become  careless 
of  everything,  even  of  her  betrothal  to  the  Khalifa. 
Hastily  I  scribbled  a  message  of  reassurance  in  Arabic 
to  my  well-beloved,  and  the  impish  little  man  hobbled 
away  with  it  secreted  in  his  gaudy  sash,  while  I  con- 
tinued my  way  to  crave  speech  with  the  autocrat. 
After  many  formalities,  I  was  allowed  to  approach  the 
divan,  where  he  sat  in  his  green  silk  robe,  calmly 
smoking  ;  but  as  I  advanced  his  keen  eyes  recognized 
my  face,  and  his  brow  darkened  grimly. 

"  Well  ?  "  he  exclaimed  in  anger,  as  I  bowed  the 
knee  before  him.  "  What  seekest  thou  ?  Have  I  not 
already  expelled  thee  from  this  my  kingdom  ?  " 

"  Yea,  O  Sultan,"  I  answered.  "  But  I  would  have  a 
word  with  thee  in  private.  I  desire  to  impart  unto 
thee  a  secret." 

"  Of  what  ?  "  he  inquired,  with  a  quick  look  of  sus- 
picion. 

"  I  have  witnessed  that  which  the  eyes  of  men  have 
never  before  beheld,"  I  answered,  "  I  have  discovered 
the  Land  of  the  No  Return  !  " 

The  Sultan  started  up  at  my  words,  and  the  greatest 
sensation  was  created  among  his  assembled  court.  For 
a  moment  Azala's  father  regarded  me  keenly  ;  then, 
uttering  a  word,  waved  his  hand,  signifying  his  desire 
to  speak  with  me  in  private.  Instantly  the  crowd  of 
courtiers,  slaves,  eunuchs  and  soldiers  retired,  and  a  few 
minutes  later  we  were  alone. 

"  Well  ?  "  he  exclaimed,  pulling  at  his  bejewelled  pipe 
thoughtfully.  "  Explain  unto  me  thy  discovery." 


Croofcefc  patbs.  357 

Seated  on  the  mat  before  the  royal  divan,  I  told  him 
the  whole  story  ;  how  Azala  had  rescued  me  ;  how  I 
had  reached  his  daughter  a  second  time,  and  my 
strange  quest  at  her  instigation. 

When  I  mentioned  the  latter  his  brows  knit  severely, 
and  displeasure  was  betrayed  upon  his  dark  face. 
Then  I  related  the  conversation  between  the  two  con- 
spirators who  were  plotting  to  bring  about  the  over- 
throw of  Sokoto,  explained  how  I  had  discovered  the 
Rock  of  the  Great  Sin,  and  described  the  magnificence 
and  enormous  wealth  of  the  kingdom  of  Ea.  I  told 
him  of  my  adventures  within  the  mysterious  realm,  of 
my  captivity  in  the  hands  of  Istar,  and  of  the  strange 
wall-picture  of  Semiramis. 

During  an  hour  we  conversed  together  ;  then,  at 
last,  I  referred  to  Azala's  forthcoming  journey  to  Om- 
durman,  and  hazarded  an  opinion  that  she  should  not 
be  united  to  one  who  was  an  enemy  of  his  Empire. 
Upon  my  words  he  pondered  deeply,  slowly  stroked 
his  full,  dark  beard,  but  made  no  response.  Then,  not 
without  trepidation,  I  offered  a  suggestion.  It  was 
that,  in  return  for  Azala's  hand,  I  would  lead  his  hosts 
by  the  secret  way  into  Ea,  and  conquer  that  wealthy 
country,  which  could  then  be  annexed  to  Sokoto. 

He  reflected,  apparently  doubting  my  ability  to  lead 
an  expedition  of  such  magnitude  ;  but  after  I  had  ex- 
plained my  previous  experiences  as  a  Dervish  soldier, 
he  at  last  accepted  the  terms  of  my  offer,  and  very 
soon  we  had  arranged  the  details.  He  would  give  me,  he 
promised,  twenty  thousand  men,  armed  with  European 
rifles,  together  with  all  the  cannon  which  had  been 
captured  in  a  recent  campaign  against  the  French,  and 
the  four  Maxim  guns  and  ammunition  sent  to  him  as  a 
present  a  few  months  before  by  the  Royal  Niger  Com- 
pany. One  condition  I  laid  down  was,  that  I  might 


358  Gbe  jE^e  of  ITstar. 

hold  converse  with  Azala  ere  I  set  forth  upon  the 
hazardous  undertaking.  To  this  he  raised  no  voice  of 
dissent,  therefore,  later  that  evening,  I  spent  a  joyous 
hour  with  my  well-beloved  in  the  room  I  knew  so  well. 

To  describe  our  meeting  is  unnecessary.  Suffice  it 
to  say  that,  when  she  set  eyes  upon  me,  she  burst  into 
a  torrent  of  tears.  Long  ago  had  she  mourned  for  me 
as  one  who  had  lost  his  life  in  attempting  to  fulfil  her 
wish,  and  could  scarce  believe  her  eyes  when  Tiamo 
had  given  her  the  scrap  of  paper  with  my  message.  I 
explained  my  discoveries,  my  ambitions,  and  the  gen- 
erous promise  of  the  Sultan.  Then,  after  a  protracted 
interview,  I  bade  her  farewell  until  such  time  as  I  could 
claim  her,  and  departed  with  her  fond  kiss  warm  upon 
my  lips. 

That  she  watched  the  preparations  hourly  from  her 
lattice  I  knew,  but  at  sunrise,  three  days  later,  all  being 
ready,  I  set  forth  at  the  head  of  the  Sultan's  army. 
Tiamo  again  came  with  me  as  body-servant,  our 
journey  over  the  deserts  being  of  a  far  different  char- 
acter to  when  we  had  fled  like  thieves  from  Kano. 
With  our  green  standards  flying,  and  our  bright  arms 
and  accoutrements  glittering  in  the  sun,  ours  was  a 
brilliant  cavalcade,  every  man  intensely  eager  to  view 
the  mystic,  unknown  land  of  which  story-tellers  had 
told  through  countless  ages. 

By  forced  marches  we  reached,  within  six  weeks,  the 
Rock  of  the  Moon-god,  our  army  augmented  by  thou- 
sands of  black  followers  from  Niam-Niam,  and,  on 
making  careful  reconnoissance,  I  soon  discovered  the 
natural,  tunnel-like  passage  whence  I  had  emerged  on 
escaping  from  Ea.  Taking  with  me  a  strong  pioneer 
party,  we  thoroughly  explored  the  huge  caverns  below, 
fixed  lights  in  various  parts,  placed  ladders  against  the 
wall  of  rock  over  which  I  had  tumbled,  and  above,  at 
the  edge  of  the  chasm,  suspended  strong  ropes  and  pul- 


Doom.  359 

leys  for  raising  cannon,  horses,  and  heavy  material. 
This  work  occupied  us  four  days,  but  when  at  length 
everything  was  complete,  we  found  the  entrance  to  the 
gallery  too  small  to  admit  horses  and  guns.  We  there- 
fore blew  away  the  rock  with  some  dynamite,  procured 
long  ago  from  the  Niger  traders,  and  without  many 
mishaps  passed  through,  and  at  last  gained  the  fertile 
Land  of  the  No  Return. 

The  eagerness  of  the  soldiers  of  Sokoto  and  our 
pagan  followers,  who  had  joined  us  out  of  curiosity,  to 
penetrate  this  strange,  legendary  land,  knew  no  bounds, 
and  the  excitement  on  the  first  night  we  encamped 
upon  the  grass-plain  rose  to  fever  heat. 

I  had  sent  forward  trusty  scouts,  attired  in  the  gar- 
ments of  citizens  of  Ea,  copied  from  my  own,  lest  we 
should  fall  into  an  ambush,  and  already  had  watchers 
secreted  on  the  Mountains  of  the  Mist,  in  full  view  of 
the  city  we  were  preparing  to  surprise. 

Well  I  knew  the  colossal  strength  of  Ea,  "the  place 
with  walls  unbreakable,"  and  when  addressing  the 
army  after  we  had  recited  the  sunset  prayer  that  even- 
ing, I  disguised  not  the  fact  that  the  struggle  must  be 
desperate. 

All  were,  however,  undaunted.  Each  man  announced 
his  readiness  to  go  forward,  bent  on  conquest. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 

DOOM. 

OUR  assault  upon  Ea  was  sudden  and  unexpected. 

Under  cover  of  night  we  cautiously  advanced  on  our 
last  march,  and  having  placed  our  guns  in  position, 
halted  in  readiness.  From  the  high  summit  of  the 


360  tTbe  Bge  of  Ttetar. 

Temple  of  the  Seven  Lights  the  unquenchable  Eye  of 
Istar  still  streamed,  white  and  brilliant.  The  giant 
city  was  ablaze  with  lights,  as  if  for  another  festival, 
and  at  first  sight  of  this  colossal  centre  of  a  forgotten 
civilization  the  soldiers,  awestricken,  feared  that  our 
expedition  against  such  a  gigantic  fortress  was  fore- 
doomed to  failure. 

Before  commencing  the  attack,  however,  I  urged 
them  to  valiant  deeds,  repeating  those  words  from  our 
Koran  which  have  given  heart  to  Moslem  armies  ever 
since  the  days  of  the  Prophet — "  If  there  be  a  hundred 
of  you  that  persevere  with  constancy,  they  shall  over- 
come two  hundred  ;  and  if  there  be  a  thousand  of  you 
they  shall  overcome  two  thousand,  by  the  permission 
of  Allah  ;  for  Allah  is  with  those  who  persevere.  It 
hath  not  been  granted  unto  any  prophet  that  he  should 
possess  captives  until  he  had  made  a  great  slaughter  of 
the  infidels  in  the  earth.  Allah  is  mighty  and  wise." 

After  many  bows  and  genuflections,  my  companions 
rose,  and,  mounting,  spurred  forth,  in  readiness  to  their 
posts.  In  silence  half-an-hour  went  by,  when,  by  pre- 
arranged signal,  six  of  the  French  guns  loaded  with 
explosive  shell  suddenly  crashed  forth,  at  the  same 
instant,  sending  their  deadly  missiles  right  into  the  cen- 
tre of  the  city,  almost  as  far  as  Istar's  palace.  We 
listened.  The  sound  of  the  explosions  echoed  weirdly 
among  the  misty  heights  above. 

With  such  infinite  care  had  we  approached  that  this 
signal  was  the  first  notification  received  by  the  people 
of  Ea  of  the  presence  of  enemies.  The  instant  the 
cannons  had  roared  forth,  our  great  storming  parties 
spurred  across  the  plain  to  certain  of  the  city  gates, 
armed  with  engines  for  battering  them  in,  and  charges 
of  dynamite  for  blowing  them  into  air.  So  well 
guarded,  however,  were  those  gigantic  walls  that,  ere 


Doom.  361 

our  squadrons  could  reach  the  gates,  they  were  assailed 
by  withering  showers  of  arrows  and  spears.  Indeed,  a 
moment  after  we  had  sent  our  first  shells  into  the  city, 
the  high,  frowning  battlements  seemed  alive  with 
defenders.  Volleys  of  stones  from  ancient  catapults 
were  showered  on  every  hand,  while  bowmen,  from  the 
slits  in  the  flanking  towers,  discharged  upon  us  a 
deadly  arrow  storm. 

Our  black  contingent,  with  their  long  bows  and 
poisoned  arrows,  quickly  turned  their  attention  upon 
the  archers  of  Ea.  Expert  marksmen  these  pagans 
were,  and  at  this  moment  proved  themselves  of  the 
utmost  value.  Each  soldier  who  showed  himself  upon 
the  high  walls  was  picked  off  with  an  aim  unerring  by 
our  archers,  behind  whom  were  the  well-drilled  soldiers 
of  the  Sultan  making  careful  shots  with  their  rifles,  and 
away  upon  the  high  ground  at  the  rear  the  cannons 
kept  up  their  thunder,  each  shell  bursting  and  spread- 
ing terrible  devastation  within  the  city.  The  constant 
explosion  of  shells  and  firearms  appalled  the  defenders 
beyond  measure,  for  this  was  their  first  knowledge  of 
the  art  of  modern  warfare,  and,  as  I  afterwards  learned, 
it  was  believed  that  because  gunpowder  was  used  by  us 
that  Anu  himself,  the  dread  god  of  Destruction,  was 
directing  us,  and  against  him  they  were  powerless. 
Nevertheless,  the  pugilistic  spirit  was  still  fierce  within 
the  hearts  of  those  descendants  of  the  valiant  hosts  of 
Semiramis,  and  they  fought  desperately  for  the  defence 
of  their  capital  and  their  goddess-queen.  In  the  lurid 
glare,  shed  by  the  fires  caused  by  our  shells,  we  could 
discern  huge,  cranelike  machines  mounted  on  the  walls, 
discharging  at  us  arrows  and  volleys  of  stones,  while 
other  ancient  mechanical  contrivances  emptied  upon 
our  scaling  parties  great  caldrons  of  boiling  pitch  or 
water. 


362  G  be  B^e  of  ITstat. 

Throughout  that  well-remembered  night  we  kept  up 
a  continuous  and  galling  hail  of  lead  upon  the  city,  but 
with  little  effect  save  that,  time  after  time,  we  swept 
away  hundreds  of  soldiers  from  the  walls  and  caused 
conflagrations  in  every  quarter,  the  majority  of  our 
force  remaining  safely  beyond  the  narrow  zone  of  the 
defender's  fire.  As  dawn  crept  on,  times  without  num- 
ber our  scaling  parties  attempted  to  fix  their  ladders  of 
rope  and  cane,  but  on  each  occasion  were  hurled  back, 
leaving  many  of  their  number  dead  or  dying.  The  sun 
rose.  Arrows  and  javelins  fell  thick  and  fast,  while, 
from  plain  and  hill,  we  poured  a  continuous  and  deadly 
shower  of  death-dealing  missiles  over  those  ponderous, 
time-worn  walls.  The  hundred  enormous  brazen  gates 
resisted  every  attempt  of  those  of  our  men  who  dashed 
forward  to  batter  them  in.  Their  thickness  and 
strength  were  colossal.  Whole  parties  of  the  young 
and  dauntless,  who  rushed  across  the  plain  up  to  the 
very  walls,  dark-faced  and  determined,  were  sometimes 
swept  into  eternity  even  to  the  last  man,  by  the  fright- 
ful showers  of  jagged  arrows  and  sharp  flint  stones  dis- 
charged from  catapults. 

Noon  came.  The  breathless  hours  passed  but  slowly. 
Hundreds  of  our  soldiers  and  pagan  followers  were 
stretched  dead,  yet,  with  the  exception  of  causing  a 
few  alarming  conflagrations  within  the  city,  we  seemed 
to  achieve  but  little  progress  towards  victory.  Our 
ability  to  project  our  missiles  to  far  greater  distance 
than  the  defenders  was  of  greatest  advantage,  and  our 
losses  in  these  earlier  hours  of  the  siege  were  never 
serious. 

Towards  sundown,  after  a  long  and  toilsome  day, 
we  decided  to  make  a  sudden  and  vigorous  assault, 
with  our  advance  covered  by  artillery  in  our  rear. 
The  military  tactics  of  the  soldiers  of  Sokoto  were  per- 


Boom.  363 

haps  primitive  as  compared  with  European  standards  ; 
nevertheless,  our  men,  at  the  roll  of  the  war  drums, 
dashed  forward  in  force  to  make  a  strenuous  and  fran- 
tic endeavor  to  enter  the  ancient,  mysterious  capital. 
Yet  we  met  again  an  opposition  so  terrific  that  some 
of  our  squadrons  fell  back  appalled,  while  othere  were 
literally  riddled  by  arrows  from  the  battlements.  Long 
and  valiantly  we  fought  to  batter  down  the  gates  or 
scale  the  walls,  but  without  avail.  Stones,  bullets, 
spears  and  boiling  liquids  fell  in  showers  upon  us  from 
every  point.  Many  fell  dead  or  mortally  wounded  upon 
the  sand,  and  it  appeared  as  though  the  remainder 
would  be  wiped  out,  until,  with  one  accord,  they  beat 
a  hasty  retreat,  followed  by  the  cheers  and  yells  of  the 
defenders. 

This  reverse  almost  disheartened  us. 

Each  moment  the  conflict  increased  in  vigor.  Al- 
though the  soldiers  of  Ea  possessed  no  firearms,  the 
defence  they  made  was  of  a  character  desperate  and 
remarkable.  From  every  point  our  guns  blazed  away 
with  monotonous  regularity,  and  our  rifles  flashed 
everywhere,  yet  we  seemed  not  to  effect  the  slightest 
impression  upon  that  city  of  colossal  strength.  Every 
turret,  every  battlement,  shed  showers  of  arrows  and 
sharp  stones  which  inflicted  terribly  painful  wounds, 
while,  in  reply,  our  pagan  allies  let  loose  their  flights  of 
poisoned  darts  with  unerring  and  deliberate  aim. 

Once  an  arrow  struck  me  in  the  forearm,  but,  fortu- 
nately, inflicted  only  a  slight  wound  ;  yet  almost  at  the 
same  moment  Tiamo,  who  was  standing  beside  me,  un- 
fortunately received  another  dart,  which  caught  him 
full  in  the  throat  and  stuck  quivering  there.  Instantly 
I  recognized  the  terrible  nature  of  the  wound,  and 
knew  it  must  prove  fatal,  as,  alas  !  it  did  ere  our  savage 
assault  terminated.  Now  that  we  had  advanced  within 


364  Cbe  J&ve  of  Ustar. 

the  range  of  the  defender's  fire,  our  loss  of  life  was 
becoming  serious.  By  the  tragic  end  of  the  dwarf  I 
had  lost  a  sincere  and  genuine  friend,  and  Azala  a  de- 
voted slave.  I  had,  however,  but  short  space  to  keep 
beside  him,  as  my  presence  was  urgently  required  else- 
where. Therefore,  with  a  few  words  of  comfort,  I  was 
compelled  to  leave  him  and  ascend  to  where  the  guns 
were  thundering. 

The  afterglow  was  burning  in  the  sky,  when,  looking 
forward,  I  discerned,  standing  upon  the  wall,  Istar  her- 
self, white-robed,  with  streaming,  unbound  hair.  Her 
arms  were  upraised  as  if  in  the  act  of  encouraging  her 
men,  and  directing  the  defence. 

I  chanced  to  be  standing  beside  one  of  those  deadly, 
rapid-firing  guns  captured  from  the  French,  and,  as  I 
looked,  our  gunners  sighted  their  weapon. 

"  See  !  "  cried  one.  "  That  woman  there  !  A  little 
lower.  Now  ! " 

Instantly  the  gun  crashed  forth.  Next  second  there 
was  a  flash  of  fire  upon  the  battlement  where  Istar  had 
stood,  and  when  the  dust  and  smoke  cleared  a  few  mo- 
ments later  a  breach  in  the  wall  showed  that  the  shell 
had  blown  to  atoms  everything  within  its  reach. 

It  seemed  absolutely  certain  that  the  woman  who  had 
held  me  captive  must  have  been  killed  instantaneously. 
If  she  had  escaped,  it  was  little  short  of  marvellous. 

Daylight  faded,  evening  crept  on,  still  our  bombard- 
ment continued  with  unceasing  vigor.  None  of  us  had 
appeased  our  hunger  since  long  before  dawn,  and  few 
had  been  able  to  snatch  a  draught  from  their  water- 
skins.  Darkness  fell,  and  the  stars  appeared  through 
the  choking  smoke  clouds,  clear  cut  as  gems,  when  sud- 
denly, to  the  astonishment  of  all,  the  long  shaft  of 
white  light,  kept  burning  night  and  day  at  the  summit 
of  the  Temple  of  Love,  increased  in  brilliancy,  stream- 


2>oom.  365 

ing  over  the  city  and  plain.  Our  enemies  now  used  it 
as  a  search-light,  such  as  I  had  seen  on  the  battleships 
in  the  bay  of  Algiers,  and  thus  were  they  enabled  to 
narrowly  watch  our  movements. 

Nevertheless,  we  were  able  after  considerable  effort 
to  outwit  them,  for,  the  fire  from  the  walls  having 
slackened  as  darkness  prevailed,  we  sent  a  large  body 
again  forward,  our  reinforcements  standing  formed  up 
in  a  huge  square  in  readiness.  The  squadron  sent  as 
pioneers  were  all  picked  men,  who,  like  myself,  had 
seen  battle  in  many  parts  of  Africa,  and  were  deter- 
mined to  bring  matters  to  a  crisis.  Quickly  and  noise- 
lessly they  sped  forth,  and  were  lost  in  the  darkness. 
While  our  main  body  harassed  the  defenders  and  kept 
them  fully  engaged,  these  men  worked  their  way 
silently  towards  the  great  gate  through  which  my  cap- 
tors had  led  me  when  I  had  been  taken  prisoner. 
Fully  half-an-hour  elapsed  without  a  sign.  Standing, 
with  eyes  strained  in  the  direction  they  had  taken,  I 
began  to  fear  they  had  met  with  disaster.  Indeed,  I 
had  already  given  orders  to  two  scouts  to  ride  forward 
and  bring  back  report,  when  suddenly  there  was  a 
bright,  blinding  flash.  The  very  earth  was  shaken  by 
a  terrific,  deafening  explosion,  followed  instantly  by  a 
second  report  which  awakened  the  echoes  of  the  moun- 
tains far  and  wide. 

Almost  the  next  moment  a  great  tongue  of  flame 
shot  up  behind  the  city  wall,  revealing  the  reassuring 
fact  that  the  gate,  with  its  huge  flanking  towers  manned 
by  hundreds  of  the  defenders,  had  been  entirely  demol- 
ished, and  that  a  great  fire  had  been  started.  Loud, 
exultant  shouts  rose  from  every  throat  when  this  truth 
became  realized.  Our  war-drums  rolled  loudly,  our 
heavy  guns  were  silenced,  and  instantly,  ten  thousand 
well-armed  and  valiant  men  dashed  forward  to  spring 


366  £be  J£ge  of 

through  the  breach  and  enter  the  gigantic  city.  I 
headed  them,  but  at  the  ruins  of  the  gate  we  found 
that  half  the  number  of  the  brave  ones  who  had  so 
effectively  used  the  dynamite  had  been  slaughtered, 
and  that  a  huge,  compact  body  of  troops  had  massed 
within,  determined  to  resist  our  advance.  Hence  we 
were  compelled  to  fight  hand-to-hand,  while  engines  of 
war,  like  the  ancient  mangonels  and  ballistic,  worked 
over  our  heads,  laying  us  low  by  dozens.  A  hundred 
stratagems  we  had  already  practised,  but  to  no  avail, 
therefore,  we  determined  upon  taking  the  city  by  sheer 
force.  In  numbers,  we  were  vastly  inferior  to  the  de- 
fenders, but  sight  of  our  firearms  held  them  terrified. 

The  metie  among  the  heaped  ruins  of  that  ponderous 
gate  was  frightful.  Bigotry,  revenge,  love  of  loot,  and 
all  the  voices  that  unite  to  hurry  men  to  evil,  pressed 
us  forward  at  this  crisis  time.  Veterans,  who  had 
fought  in  all  the  desperate  battles  with  the  French 
towards  the  Niger  bank,  and  away  beyond  Lake  Tsad, 
were  not  to  be  disheartened.  They  were  desperate 
and  furious. 

Still  the  defenders  held  out.  Their  ranks  presented 
the  appearance  of  a  wall  of  lowered  spears. 

While  we  strove  on,  fearing  that  this  last  bold  ven- 
ture might  fail,  a  loud  rattling  like  musketry  sounded 
in  front  of  us.  Instantly  I  knew  the  truth.  One  of 
our  Maxim  guns  had  at  last  been  brought  into  play. 

The  effect  of  that  most  deadly  of  modern  weapons 
was  appalling.  Thrice  it  spat  out  its  leaden  hail, 
sweeping  along  the  lines  of  spearmen  from  end  to  end. 
Then,  with  loud,  fierce  yells  of  triumph,  we  poured  into 
the  city  over  the  heaps  of  bullet-riddled  bodies,  fighting 
amid  a  chaos  of  writhing  limbs,  gashed  faces  and  bleed- 
ing, trampled  humanity. 

Thus,  we  at  last  passed  the  high  masses  of  Babylon- 


Doom.  367 

ian  masonry,  which  had  once  seemed  so  dark,  sheer 
and  impregnable,  and  dashed  forward  into  the  mystic 
capital  of  Ea,  engaging  the  defenders  hand-to-hand  in 
every  hole  and  corner,  while  our  comrades,  having  wit- 
nessed our  success,  sped  on  after  us  great  bodies  of  re- 
inforcements, against  whom  it  was  impossible  for 
either  citizens  or  soldiers  to  struggle.  The  darkness 
of  night  was  dispelled  by  the  red  glare  of  the  fires,  as 
the  incendiary's  brand  was  applied  to  wooden  struc- 
tures, while  the  curses  of  the  vanquished  mingled  with 
wails  of  the  dying  and  shouts  of  the  victors. 

The  carnage  was  frightful. 

After  an  hour's  desperate  street  fighting,  during 
which  time  my  garments  were  torn  from  off  my  back  in 
shreds,  the  defenders  began  to  cry  for  quarter,  but,  al- 
though we  granted  it,  our  black  allies,  drunk  with  the 
frenzy  of  battle,  refused  to  show  mercy,  and  hundreds 
of  those  who  had  defended  their  homes  so  bravely 
were  impaled  by  spears,  or  laid  low  by  poisoned  darts. 
Many  were  the  ghastly  scenes  I  witnessed,  as,  amid 
that  terrible  massacre  of  the  vanquished,  we  pressed 
on  in  force  towards  the  dazzling  House  of  the  Raising 
of  the  Head.  Again  we  met  with  a  determined  op- 
position, which  cost  us  considerable  loss  ere  we  could 
break  it  down  and  ascend  the  long  flight  of  steps  to  the 
palace  itself.  On  gaining  the  top,  I  rushed  forward,  at 
the  head  of  the  storming  party,  into  the  great  pavilion, 
with  its  sculptured  walls,  and  was  amazed  to  find  it  de- 
serted. 

Alone,  I  dashed  away  across  court  after  court,  until 
I  reached  the  entrance  of  the  great  hall,  wherein  stood 
the  crystal  throne.  Without  ceremony  I  tore  aside 
the  heavy  curtain  and  entered. 

Istar,  who  had,  by  some  almost  miraculous  circum- 
stance, escaped  destruction  on  the  city-wall,  was  loung- 


Gbe  Bse  of  Itetar. 


ing  upon  her  seat  of  royalty,  her  beautiful  face  pale 
as  death,  her  teeth  firm  set,  and  in  her  eyes  a  look  of 
unutterable  dread.  All  her  brilliant  court  had  deserted 
her  and  fled,  leaving  her  alone  to  face  her  enemies. 

As  I  entered,  her  gaze  met  mine,  and  she  rose  to  her 
feet  with  slow  hauteur.  I  advanced  to  seize  her,  but, 
raising  her  shapely,  trembling  hand,  she  screamed, 
"  Stand  back,  thou  son  of  Anu  !  Stand  back  !  " 

"  Thou  art  now  my  captive  !  "  I  shouted,  halting  an 
instant  before  ascending  the  steps  of  polished  silver. 

She  clenched  her  teeth,  held  her  breath,  and  trem- 
bled. With  a  quick  movement,  she  raised  her  left 
hand  and  placed  it  against  her  velvet  cheek.  Next  in- 
stant, I  saw  a  tiny  streak  of  blood  trickle  down  upon 
the  strings  of  jewels  which  adorned  her  neck. 

Then,  horrified,  I  noticed  that  in  her  hand  there 
writhed  a  small  black  asp  of  the  most  venomous 
species.  She  had  placed  its  flat  head  against  her 
cheek  and  deliberately  allowed  it  to  bite  her. 

"  What  hast  thou  done  ?"  I  cried,  aghast. 

"  I,  Istar,  will  never  be  taken  captive  !  "  she  answered, 
with  imperious  gesture.  "  Thou  hast  brought  thine 
accursed  hosts  within  my  kingdom,  broken  down  my 
walls,  burnt  the  Temple  of  Baal,  and  entered  this  my 
palace  to  sack  it  and  break  down  the  foundation-stones 
of  my  fathers.  Therefore  thou  shalt,  at  least,  have  no 
satisfaction  in  securing  me." 

She  swayed  slightly,  and  from  her  grasp  the  small 
reptile  wriggled  and  fell  upon  the  polished  pavement, 
hissing  viciously. 

I  knew  she  was  doomed,  and  made  a  movement  to 
ascend  the  steps. 

"  Ah  !  don't  touch  me  !  "  she  shrieked  wildly,  her 
wealth  of  unbound  hair  falling  in  profusion  about  her 
shoulders.  "  Canst  thou  not  see  that  the  asp's  poison 


2>oom.  369 

is  fatal  ?  "  she  gasped  hoarsely,  her  face,  with  its  ugly 
streak  of  blood,  a  ghastly  hue.  "Anu  hath  seized  my 
kingdom.  Merodach  hath  forsaken  me.  See  ! "  she 
cried  with  difficulty,  reeling  and  clutching  for  support 
at  the  arm  of  her  glittering  throne.  "  See  !  I  leave 
thee  !  The  word  of  the  prophet — is  fulfilled  !  " 

Her  thin,  blanched  lips  moved,  but  no  further  sound 
escaped  them..  Her  face  was  drawn  and  haggard,  her 
limbs  were  convulsed  by  icy  shiverings,  and  her  be- 
jewelled fingers,  hitching  themselves  in  her  filmy  gar- 
ments, tore  them  in  a  paroxysm  of  pain  as  the  deadly 
venom  throbbed  through  her  blue  veins. 

She  glared  at  me  with  a  ferocity  that  showed  how 
desperate  she  was. 

But  only  for  a  moment.  Her  nerveless  hand  refused 
to  support  her,  and,  staggering  forward  unevenly,  she 
suddenly  threw  up  her  shapely  arms,  with  a  wild, 
shrill  shriek,  and  fell  heavily  forward  upon  the  pave- 
ment before  the  ancient  throne  of  Babylon's  queen. 

I  dashed  up  to  where  she  had  fallen,  and,  bending, 
raised  her  fair  head  and  placed  my  hand  upon  her 
white  scarred  breast. 

Her  heart  had  ceased  its  beating.  Istar,  the  direct 
descendant  of  Semiramis,  the  beautiful  woman  wor- 
shipped as  goddess  and  queen,  was  dead. 

I  rose  and  stood  gazing  upon  her  lifeless,  prostrate 
form.  Horror  held  me  dumb.  Yet  I  was  conqueror 
of  the  most  ancient  and  remarkable  city  in  the  world. 


370  Cbe  jege  of  fstar. 

CHAPTER  XLIV. 

THE    TALISMAN. 

WITH  lightning  speed  the  news  of  Istar's  death 
spread  from  mouth  to  mouth  throughout  Ea,  and  all 
opposition  to  our  occupation  quickly  ceased.  Priests, 
eunuchs,  populace  and  soldiery  regarded  our  entry, 
and  the  death  of  their  goddess-queen,  as  the  fulfilment 
of  the  dreaded  curse  of  Anu,  and  openly  declared  that 
to  fight  against  the  decree  of  the  great  Destroyer, 
supreme  on  earth,  was  utterly  futile.  Hence  the 
Moslem  hosts,  acknowledging  me  as^  leader,  poured 
into  every  part  of  the  once-impregnable  city,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  seek  suitable  quarters  in  the  best  residences 
and  in  the  House  of  the  Raising  of  the  Head,  the 
wonders  of  which  held  them  entranced. 

During  the  first  few  hours  the  soldiers  of  the  Sultan, 
with  that  inborn  love  of  loot  which  has  characterized 
every  Arab  man-at-arms  since  the  days  of  the  Prophet, 
sacked  the  houses  of  the  wealthy,  and  would  have 
wrecked  the  palace  of  Istar  had  I  not  taken  precau- 
tions, threatening  that  any  discovered  pilfering  would 
be  cast  into  the  lion-pit  without  ado.  By  dint  of  most 
strenuous  exertion  I  thus  managed  to  preserve  the 
palace  intact,  but  our  negro  allies,  on  entering  the  city, 
intoxicated  by  success,  had  at  once  become  entirely 
beyond  control,  and  I  fear  that  many  citizens  and  their 
property  fared  badly  at  their  pagan  hands. 

As  soon  as  I  had  arranged  for  an  efficient  guard  in 
every  hall  throughout  the  great  palace,  and  had  taken 
precautions  to  confine  the  soldiers  of  Ea  in  one  quar- 
ter of  the  city,  lest  they  should  return  to  resume  the 
defensive,  I  ascended  to  the  Temple  of  Love,  and 


{Talisman.  371 

there,  in  presence  of  three  of  my  chief  officers,  extin- 
guished that  great  light  called  the  Eye  of  Istar,  as 
sign  of  my  complete  conquest  of  Queen  and  people. 

The  seething  populace  of  Ea,  when  they  saw  that 
the  light  which  had  burned  uninterruptedly  for  ages  no 
longer  shone,  regarded  its  failure  as  sign  that  Shamas 
and  Merodach  had  for  ever  forsaken  them,  and  that 
city  and  people  had,  by  Istar's  death,  been  given  over 
to  the  designs  of  Anu,  the  dreaded,  and  his  evil  hosts. 
They  remained  inert,  cowed,  trembling.  The  luxu- 
rious Temple  of  Love,  with  its  worn  statue  of  the  god- 
dess, presented  the  same  appearance  as  it  had  done  on 
that  memorable  night  after  the  Feast  of  Tammuz, 
when  the  Queen  slept  while  I  had  watched  in  silence. 
Her  couch,  with  its  purple  cushions,  was  tumbled,  as 
if  she  had  recently  lain  there,  and  the  fresh  offerings 
of  food  and  wine  at  the  foot  of  the  statue  showed  that 
votaries  had  recently  ascended  to  prostrate  themselves 
in  conformity  with  the  rigid  law  of  Semiramis. 

Leaning  over  the  balustrade,  I  stood  gazing  down  in 
wonder  at  the  magnificence  of  the  city  I  had  con- 
quered, and  watching  the  breaking  of  the  dawn. 
Paper  being  brought  at  my  command,  I  sat  down  and 
wrote  a  report  to  the  Sultan,  urging  him  to  come  and 
witness  his  mysterious,  newly-acquired  possession,  and 
at  the  same  time  claiming  Azala's  hand.  To  my  well- 
beloved  also  I  wrote  a  message  of  affection,  and  these 
I  dispatched  in  charge  of  six  trusty  messengers,  who 
had  acted  as  scouts,  with  orders  to  speed  on  the  wings 
of  haste  back  to  Kano. 

As  I  again  looked  down  upon  the  terraces  and  courts 
an  imam  from  the  Fada  at  Kano  came  forward,  and 
placing  himself  at  my  side,  raised  his  arms  and  uttered, 
in  a  firm,  loud  voice,  our  call  to  prayer. 

Thus,  for  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  Ea,  was  the 


372  Cbe  Bse  of  ftetar. 

Temple  of  the  Seven  Lights  used  as  mosque,  and  the 
name  of  Allah  uttered  from  its  high  minaret.  Thrice 
he  shouted,  with  all  his  might,  those  well-known  words 
which  cause  the  Faithful  to  bend  the  knee  towards  the 
Holy  City  wherever  they  may  be,  and  the  soldiers 
lounging  about  the  courts  below,  hearing  it,  prostrated 
themselves  and  recited  their  thanks  to  the  One  Merci- 
ful with  heartfelt  fervency.  Verily  Allah  is  endued 
with  indulgence  towards  mankind  ;  but  the  greater 
part  -of  them  are  not  thankful. 

At  first,  as  representive  of  the  Sultan,  there  was 
much  to  occupy  me  ;  but  the  people,  finding  our  rule 
unoppressive,  quickly  became  well-disposed  towards  us, 
and  soon,  the  defenders  being  disarmed,  my  task  was 
rendered  easy.  Then  day  followed  day — bright,  sunny, 
indolent,  never-to-be-forgotten  days  of  waiting  in  pa- 
tience for  the  coming  of  the  Sultan. 

The  high-priests  of  the  Temple  of  the  Seven  Lights 
undertook  the  obsequies  of  their  dead  Queen,  which 
they  carried  out  with  great  pomp  and  ceremony,  the 
body  being  carried  by  twelve  vestal  virgins  to  the 
summit  of  the  tower  and  there  cremated,  the  ashes 
being  afterwards  cast  to  the  winds  amid  the  singing  of 
hymns  to  the  Moon-god  and  much  weeping  and  wail- 
ing. Still,  the  fact  that  upon  my  breast  was  a  mark  ex- 
actly identical  with  the  one  she  had  borne  puzzled  me, 
and  during  the  long  period  of  waiting  for  the  arrival  of 
the  Sultan  'Othman  I  used  every  endeavor  to  discover 
some  elucidation  of  the  mystery.  Soon  I  grew  impa- 
tient, and  ofttimes  wandered  alone  through  the  magnifi- 
cent courts,  plunged  deep  in  oppressive  thoughts.  The 
non-arrival  of  the  Sultan  caused  me  serious  apprehen- 
sion that,  during  our  absence,  the  Khalifa  had  attacked 
Kano.  If  so,  I  feared  for  the  safety  of  Azala.  To  dis- 
tract my  attention  from  the  one  subject  which  occupied 


talisman.  373 

me  both  by  night  and  by  day  I  applied  myself  diligently 
to  the  study  of  the  gigantic  wall-sculptures  and  inscrip- 
tions, and  succeeded  in  deciphering  some  exceedingly 
interesting  records  of  the  luxury  in  which  lived  Semir- 
amis  and  her  successors. 

The  treasures  we  discovered  within  the  palace  were 
enormous.  Jewels  of  great  price,  which  had  belonged 
to  the  founder  of  Babylon  herself,  golden  ornaments 
of  every  kind,  many  of  that  antique  design  shown  in 
the  wall-pictures,  dishes  and  drinking-vessels  of  gold, 
golden  armor,  bejewelled  breastplates,  and  swords 
with  hilts  set  with  magnificent  gems  were  stored  in 
great  profusion  in  the  spacious  vaults  below  the  palace, 
while  the  ornaments  worn  by  priests,  priestesses  and 
high  functionaries  in  the  daily  exercise  of  their  reli- 
gious duties,  were  all  of  amazing  worth.  Besides  these 
treasures  of  gems  and  gold,  we  discovered  a  vault  filled 
to  overflowing  with  the  records  of  the  dead  monarchs 
of  Ea,  cylinders  and  square  cakes  of  sun-dried  clay, 
with  cuneiform  inscriptions  impressed  upon  them  by 
the  hands  of  scribes  who  had  lived  three  thousand 
years  ago.  In  later  centuries  it  appeared  that  a  kind  of 
papyrus  had  been  used  by  the  inhabitants  of  this  world- 
forgotten  kingdom,  nevertheless,  all  the  earlier  records 
had  been  impressed  upon  clay  or  chipped  on  stones  in 
like  manner  to  those  discovered  beneath  the  mounds 
where  once  stood  the  giant  cities  of  Nineveh  and  Baby- 
lon. Through  many  weeks  I  occupied  myself  with 
them,  the  result  of  my  investigations  having  been  re- 
cently given  to  the  world  in  the  form  of  two  substan- 
tial volumes  published  in  Paris. 

One  day,  while  engaged  in  translating  a  record  of  the 
historic  victory  of  Semiramis  over  the  Ethiopians, 
neatly  impressed  upon  a  hollow  cylinder  of  white  clay, 
the  commander  of  the  guard  entered  hastily  with  the 


374  £be  J&ye  of  Ustar, 

glad  tidings  that  the  cavalcade  of  the  Sultan  was 
actually  within  sight,  and  half-an-hour  later  I  received 
the  great  'Othman  and  his  daughter  in  the  glittering 
throne-room  where  first  I  had  encountered  the  Queen 
whose  beauty  had  been  amazing. 

The  Sultan's  reception  was  wildly  enthusiastic. 
War-drums  rolled,  the  conquering  green  banners  of  Al- 
Islam  waved  in  the  brilliant  sunshine,  and  the  soldiers 
of  Sokoto,  who  had  fought  so  valiantly,  were  cheered 
again  and  again  by  the  great  escort  of  their  autocratic 
ruler.  Even  the  vanquished  citizens  of  Ea  lost  their 
sullenness,  and  having  found  our  rule  beneficent  and 
devoid  of  the  harsh  oppression  they  had  anticipated, 
united  in  applauding  the  conqueror. 

Amid  ringing  cheers  he  entered  the  magnificent  hall 
wherein  the  luxurious  Istar  had  held  sway,  and,  greet- 
ing him  at  the  steps  of  the  throne,  I  motioned  to  him  to 
ascend  to  the  royal  seat  of  prismatic  crystal.  This  he 
did,  and  in  obedience  to  his  desire,  Azala  and  myself 
followed,  standing  by  him  at  either  hand. 

Then,  when  quiet  had,  with  difficulty,  been  restored, 
he  addressed  those  present  in  congratulatory  terms, 
thanking  Allah  for  the  success  of  our  arms,  and  turn- 
ing to  myself,  publicly  declared  me  worthy  the  hand  of 
his  daughter  Azala. 

This  announcement  was  followed  by  thunders  of 
applause.  Outside,  firearms  were  discharged,  cannons 
roared,  and  news  of  our  betrothal  spread  away  into 
every  corner  of  the  city. 

When  again  the  Sultan  could  obtain  a  hearing,  he 
added  that,  having  discovered  this  mysterious  kingdom 
hitherto  unknown,  it  was  but  just  that  its  rule  should 
be  given  into  my  hands.  Henceforward,  he  said,  I  was 
Governor  of  Ea,  and  as  soon  as  arrangements  could  be 
made  for  fitting  marriage  festivity  I  should  be  wedded 


Cbe  ftalteman.  375 

to  Azala.  •  Advancing  to  the  woman  I  loved,  we  clasped 
hands  joyously,  and  her  eyes  met  mine  with  an  expres- 
sion full  of  tender  passion.  Then,  turning  to  the  Sul- 
tan, I  acknowledged  his  gracious  bounty,  and  declared 
that  now  I  had  Azala  at  my  side  I  would  spend  the 
remainder  of  my  life  in  his  service  as  Governor  of  this 
new,  far-removed  portion  of  his  Empire. 

Azala,  too,  in  musical  voice,  trembling  slightly  with 
emotion,  declared  that  I  had  successfully  fought  a  fight 
that  few  would  have  attempted,  and  others  united  to 
heap  praise  upon  me  of  so  laudatory  a  character  that  I 
confess  to  entertaining  a  desire  for  its  cessation. 

After  a  protracted  audience,  the  Sultan  made  sign 
that  he  wished  to  be  alone,  and  when  all  had  withdrawn, 
except  my  betrothed  and  myself,  he  turned  to  me,  say- 
ing,— 

"  Of  a  verity,  Zafar,  thou  hast  fought  a  valiant  fight. 
Strange  it  is  that  thou  returnest  to  that  which  is  thine 
own." 

"  How  ?  "  I  inquired,  puzzled  at  his  words. 

"  Thou  bearest  the  Mark  of  the  Asps,"  he  answered. 

"  The  same  symbol  was  borne  by  Istar,"  I  said.  "  I 
discovered  it  while  she  slept." 

"  Upon  my  breast  also  is  the  mark,"  Azala  observed. 

"  The  mysterious  emblem  hath,  of  course,  puzzled 
thee,"  the  Sultan  said,  smiling  as  he  addressed  me. 
"Azala  hath  ofttimes  asked  its  meaning,  but  I  have 
rendered  no  explanation  until  now.  Because  thou  art 
betrothed  unto  my  daughter,  it  is  but  fitting  that  I 
should  make  explanation.  Thou  hast  witnessed  the 
symbol  upon  the  foundation-stone  of  Semiramis,  and  I 
have  to-day  learned  that  Istar,  as  represented  in  image 
at  the  summit  of  the  Seven  Lights,  beareth  in  her  hand 
the  asps  entwined.  The  Mark  of  the  Asps  is  the  Baby- 
lonian sign  of  royal  sonship,  the  symbol  with  which  the 


376  Gbe  &ve  of  flstat. 


first-born  of  every  ruler  since  Semiramis  hath  been 
branded." 

"  But  how  came  I  to  bear  the  mark  ?  "  I  inquired, 
eagerly. 

"  Thou  hast  heard  the  oft-repeated  story  of  the  man 
who,  long  ages  ago,  before  the  great  earthquake,  suc- 
ceeded in  eluding  the  vigilance  of  the  guards  at  the 
Rock  of  the  Great  Sin,  and  escaped  into  our  world." 

"  Yea.  I  have  often  pondered  deeply  over  that 
legendaty  tale,"  I  replied. 

"  It  was  no  legend/'  he  asserted.  "  One  man  did 
actually  escape  from  Ea.  He  was  son  of  the  reigning 
queen,  and  bore  upon  his  breast  a  mark  identical  with 
thine.  Far  and  wide  he  travelled  over  the  Great 
Desert,  and  obeying  the  injunction  of  his  ancestor, 
seared  with  a  white-hot  iron  the  mystic  symbol  upon 
his  eldest  son.  Thus  through  many  generations  was 
the  Mark  of  the  Asps  placed  upon  the  breast  of  the  eld- 
est child  of  either  sex,  until  a  legend  became  rife  that 
ill  would  befall  the  family  if  that  mark  were  not 
impressed.  For  ages  the  practice,  descended  from 
father  to  child,  until  it  came  to  thy  father,  who  branded 
thee." 

"  My  father  !  "  I  cried.  "  Surely  he  was  not  a  lineal 
descendant  of  the  Queens  of  Ea  !  " 

"  He  was.  Thy  father  and  myself  were  brothers, 
but  early  in  life  we  parted  in  Constantine,  I  to  the 
south,  where  I  met  with  many  adventures,  becoming 
commander-in-chief  of  the  army  of  Sokoto,  and  subse- 
quently being  placed  upon  the  royal  divan  as  Sultan. 
Some  years  after  parting  with  thy  father  I  heard  that 
he  was  dead,  and,  unaware  that  he  had  a  son,  I,  desir- 
ing to  perpetuate  the  family  legend,  impressed  upon 
the  breast  of  Azala  the  mark  that  thou  hast  witnessed." 

"  Then  it  is  now  easy  to  account    for  thine  amaze- 


ftbe  ftalismart.  377 

ment  at  finding  the  mark  upon  the  breast  of  myself, 
thy  captive  in  Kano,"  I  observed,  smiling. 

"  I  had  never  dreamed  of  thine  existence,  and  as  it 
was  alleged  that  evil  would  accrue  if  the  mark  of 
royalty  were  placed  on  any  but  the  person  entitled  to 
it,  I  banished  thee,  in  fear,  from  my  kingdom,"  he  re- 
plied. "After  I  had  sent  thee  out  of  Sokoto  I  became 
seized  with  regret,  and  used  every  endeavor  to  redis- 
cover thee,  but  without  avail.  Meanwhile,  it  seemeth 
that  thou  wert  beloved  of  thy  cousin  Azala,  and  wert 
striving  to  elucidate  the  mystery.  Thine  efforts  have 
at  last  been  crowned  by  success,  and  assuredly  the  ex- 
pressions of  good-will  I  have  uttered  towards  thee  are 
genuine." 

"  I  accept  them,"  I  answered,  amazed  at  this  unex- 
pected revelation.  "  Thou  art  brother  of  my  father, 
and  I  thy  nephew." 

"  It  is  but  just  that  thou  shouldst  rule  over  Ea," 
Azala  said,  laughing  joyouslyj  after  she  had  explained 
that  the  marvels  she  had  revealed  in  Kano  in  order  to 
impress  me  were  produced,  as  I  had  suspected,  by 
mechanical  means.  "  The  mark  was  branded  upon  me 
under  the  misapprehension  that  thou  didst  not  exist. 
But  in  thee,  the  Unknown,  I  have  found  a  husband  ; 
and  Ea,  thine  estate  by  right,  a  conqueror  and  ruler." 

"  Hast  thou  still  an  amulet  thy  father  gavest  unto 
thee  before  his  death  ? "  the  Sultan  asked,  presently. 

"I  have,"  I  answered,  placing  my  hand  beneath  my 
silken  robe,  and  drawing  therefrom  the  small  bag  of 
soft  kid-skin  I  had  worn  for  years  suspended,  with 
other  talismans,  about  my  neck. 

"  Open  it,  and  let  us  gaze  upon  it." 

I  obeyed,  and  drew  from  the  well-worn  charm-case  a 
small,  cylindrical  seal  of  chalcedony.  It  was  of  ancient 
design,  like  those  discovered  by  Layarcl,  the  English- 


378  Gbe  BBC  of 

man,  in  the  mounds  at  Nimroud,  about  the  length  of 
the  little  finger,  semi-transparent  and  blue  almost  as 
the  morning  sky,  drilled  from  end  to  end  with  a  hole, 
to  allow  its  suspension  from  the  neck. 

"  Yea,"  said  the  Sultan,  taking  it  from  my  hand,  and 
examining  it  with  greatest  care.  "  Thou  hast  truly 
preserved  intact  the  relic  which  hath  been  in  our  fam- 
ily through  countless  generations.  Now  will  I  reveal 
unto  thee  its  strange  secret." 

"  What  secret  doth  it  contain  ? "  I  asked,  glancing  at 
it  eagerly. 

"  Upon  it  are  words,"  he  answered,  "  but  so  minute 
is  the  inscription  that  only  by  placing  it  in  the  sun's 
rays,  and  watching  the  shadows,  can  the  inequalities 
of  its  surface  be  detected.  Come  hither." 

He  rose,  and  we  followed  him  across  the  great, 
empty  hall  to  where  the  sunlight  streamed  full  through 
an  aperture  in  the  high,  gilded  roof.  Then,  placing 
the  cylinder  upon  a  small,  golden  stool,  inlaid  with 
amethysts,  that  Istar  had  used  as  a  table,  he  told  me 
to  examine  it  and  say  what  words  were  thereon  in- 
scribed. At  first  I  could  detect  nothing,  but  presently, 
by  placing  it  at  a  certain  angle,  I  could  detect  that  its 
surface  was  entirely  covered  by  an  inscription  in  cunei- 
form character,  so  minute  that  none  would  dream  of 
its  existence.  Only  by  allowing  the  sun's  rays  to  fall 
at  a  certain  angle  across  the  blue  stone  could  the  tiny 
rows  of  arrowheads  be  deciphered,  but  after  a  long 
examination,  with  the  Sultan  and  Azala  eagerly  gazing 
over  my  shoulder,  I  was  at  length  enabled  to  gain  the 
knowledge  it  imparted. 

The  first  portion  of  the  ancient  inscription  was  a 
brief  supplication,  in  the  picturesque  language  of  As- 
syria, to  Istar,  Goddess  of  Love,  followed  by  a  state- 
ment that  the  stone  itself  was  the  talisman  of  Semir- 


{Talisman,  379 

amis,  founder  of  Babylon,  who  had  decreed  that  her 
son  should  bear  the  royal  mark  upon  his  breast  in 
such  a  form  as  should  be  indelible,  and  that  the  first- 
born of  the  royal  line  should  be  branded  in  the  same 
manner  by  an  iron  heated  until  it  glowed  white. 
There  was  a  tiny  sketch  of  the  symbol,  together  with 
full  directions  as  to  the  manner  in  which  the  flesh 
must  be  seared,  and  the  whole  concluded  with  an  ex- 
hortation to  Merodach  to  preserve  the  bearer  of  the 
talisman,  and  a  fervent  prayer  to  Baal,  head-father 
and  creator  of  the  universe.  At  the  end  was  the  sig- 
nature of  some  scribe,  and  appended  the  seal  of  Semir- 
amis  herself. 

This  strange  historic  talisman  had,  I  recollected, 
been  carried  by  my  father  in  all  his  travels,  and  on  his 
deathbed  he  had  bequeathed  it  to  me,  with  strict  in- 
junctions never  to  part  with  it,  as  it  secured  its  wearer 
immunity  from  disease  or  violent  death.  Around  my 
neck  I  had  carried  it  through  all  the  fights  against  the 
English  in  the  Soudan,  and  during  all  the  long  and 
toilsome  journeys  which  I  have  related.  Now  it  had 
explained  to  me  a  secret  so  strange  that,  without  its 
unimpeachable  evidence,  I  could  never  have  credited 
the  truth. 

Again  and  again  I  re-read  the  curious  inscription, 
graven  by  a  hand  that  must  have  crumbled  into  dust 
more  than  four  thousand  years  ago  ;  then,  witnessing 
Azala's  great  interest  in  it,  I  tenderly  placed  my  hand 
around  her  jewel-begirt  waist  and  kissed  her. 

The  Sultan  smiled  benignly,  and  telling  me  to  mount 
the  steps,  and  seat  myself  upon  the  crystal  throne  that 
was  my  birthright,  he  gave  orders  for  the  curtains  to 
be  drawn  aside  so  that  those  assembled  might  witness 
the  high  position  to  which  I  had  been  exalted. 

The  Sultan,  again  mounting   the  steps   of   polished 


380  Gbe  JEge  of  Ustat. 

silver,  addressed  the  brilliantly  attired  crowd,  explain- 
ing briefly  that  I  was  the  direct  descendant  of  the 
founder  of  that  kingdom  ;  that  upon  my  breast  I  bore 
the  mystic  Mark  of  the  Asps  ;  and  that,  in  my  hand,  I 
held  the  long-lost  talisman  of  Semiramis,  which  ages 
ago  had  been  carried  away  to  the  outer  world  by  the 
adventurous  son  of  Istar  who  made  his  escape  and 
never  returned.  It  was,  he  declared,  but  meet  that  I 
should  occupy  the  crystal  throne  whereon  had  lounged 
the  languid,  luxurious  queens  through  so  many  cen- 
turies, a  statement  which  won  the  loud  and  long-con- 
tinued plaudits  of  the  multitude. 


CONCLUSION. 

THAT  night  I  wandered  through  the  ancient,  gigan- 
tic palace,  hand-in-hand  with  my  well-beloved,  pointing 
out  its  many  marvels,  explaining  the  curious  inscrip- 
tions upon  its  colossal  foundation-stones,  and,  taking 
her  to  the  summit  of  the  Temple  of  the  Seven  Lights, 
showed  her  the  giant  city  by  night.  Happy  were  we 
in  each  other's  love  ;  yet  happier  still  when,  seven 
days  later,  amid  feasting  and  merry-making,  that  was 
continued  throughout  a  whole  moon,  we  were  made 
man  and  wife.  Our  rule  has,  I  believe,  found  favor 
with  the  people.  We  fear  not  invasion  nor  rebellion, 
because  our  impregnable  country  is  still  the  Land  of  the 
No  Return,  at  any  moment  when  we  choose  to  block 
the  one  single  gate  by  which  it  may  be  entered. 

As  Prince  of  Ea  I  have  complete  control  of  its  an- 
cient treasures,  and  at  Azala's  instigation  have  sent 
many  wall-sculptures,  and  other  relics  of  interest,  to 
various  national  museums  in  the  European  capitals. 


Conclusion.  3Sl 

To  Paris  I  sent  a  colossal  block  of  black  stone,  strangely 
sculptured,  representing  the  great  feast  held  by  Semira- 
mis  after  she  had  built  the  walls  of  Ea,  which  she  de- 
clared unbreakable.  To  Vienna  we  dispatched  the 
stone,  triangular  altar  of  the  Fire-god,  Gibil,  which 
stood  at  the  entrance  of  the  House  of  Lustre.  To 
Berlin  went  a  conical  stone,  bearing  a  beautiful  hymn 
to  Baal  in  well-preserved  cuneiform  character  ;  and  to 
the  British  Museum,  in  London,  an  institution  to  which 
my  father  had  sent  many  relics  he  had  collected,  I  pre- 
sented a  collection  of  ancient  gems,  among  them  being 
the  little  chalcedony  cylinder,  in  order  that  all  should 
be  enabled  to  inspect  the  strange  heirloom,  the  posses- 
sion of  which  led  to  the  discovery  of  a  long-forgotten 
civilization. 

The  visitor  to  England's  national  collection  of  an- 
tiquities may  discover  it  in  the  Assyrian  Room,  repos- 
ing upon  its  tiny  cushion  of  purple  velvet,  fashioned 
from  the  papakha  of  the  Goddess  of  Love,  the  couch 
of  Istar,  a  mute  relic  of  one  of  the  greatest  monarchs 
the  world  has  ever  known.  Before  it  a  neat  black 
tablet,  with  gold  lettering,  gives  a  translation  of  the 
injunction  regarding  the  placing  on  the  breast  of  the 
first-born  the  device  known  as  the  Mark  of  the  Asps, 
together  with  a  statement  as  to  its  date.  Many,  per- 
haps, have  seen  it  during  the  past  twelve  months,  but 
none  know  its  real  history,  which  I  have  here  written 
for  the  first  time.  After  reading  this  record  they  may 
possibly  linger  before  the  case  containing  it  a  trifle 
longer,  and  reflect  upon  the  curious  chain  of  incidents 
which  caused  the  ragged,  wandering  Dervish,  who 
carried  it  forgotten  in  his  charm-case,  to  become  ruler 
of  a  land  the  existence  of  which  was  hitherto  unknown, 
and  to  secure  as  wife  the  sweetest  woman  his  eyes  had 
ever  beheld. 


382  Gbe  B^e  of  flstar. 

With  Azala  as  my  wife,  mine  is  a  life  of  happiness 
unalloyed.  Of  a  verity  ours  is  a  rose-garden  of  peace. 
The  only  murmur  of  discontent  ever  heard  within  our 
kingdom  is  because  the  shaft  of  white  brilliance  no 
longer  shines  to  remind  the  vanquished  of  the  cruel 
but  beautiful  queen  they  idolized  as  Goddess  of  Love, 
and  to  give  them  promise  of  freedom  from  the  Moslem 
yoke.  But  the  light  that  had  shone  on  uninterrupt- 
edly through  forty  centuries  has  never  burned  since 
that  memorable  night  when  I  quenched  it,  and  never 
will  again. 

Its  extinguishment  was  emblematic  of  my  complete 
conquest  of  the  Land  of  the  No  Return.  I  have  closed 
for  all  time  the  ever-vigilant  Eye  of  Istar. 


THE    END. 


Unive 

So 

L 

^•rT'.—.^'f^'^niTl 


